Why can't hepatitis B be cured but hepatitis C can?

Hepatitis B and C are extremely dangerous infectious diseases. According to epidemiological surveys, the rate of hepatitis B infection in our country is from 10 to 12%, hepatitis C is from 2 to 4%. However, in people who inject drugs, the rate of hepatitis C infection is up to 80-90%. Both hepatitis B and C can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer (80% of liver cancer patients are caused by hepatitis B and C).

Hepatitis B and C viruses are slow-moving viruses, with an average incubation period of 1 to 3 months. The chronic progression of hepatitis B and hepatitis C is also very silent, almost without any specific symptoms, except in the acute stage, the symptoms of hepatitis B tend to be "progressive". "than hepatitis C with manifestations: Fatigue, digestive disorders, loss of appetite, jaundice, dark urine, ...
90% of people with hepatitis B, hepatitis C do not know their disease status. Because there are no clinical symptoms, patients who go to the doctor when they have symptoms are at a late stage, that is, there are complications. More specifically, when many patients see symptoms of pain in the liver, go to the doctor and ultrasound the liver, the tumor has grown, causing the liver to enlarge, causing pain in the right lower quadrant.
Some patients, when going to another doctor, happened to have a liver enzyme test, and found that liver enzymes increased 3 to 4 times normal, the doctor gave a hepatitis test and found out that they have hepatitis B or hepatitis C, The liver fibrosis measure was F4 (ie cirrhosis). Although there is a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B, the vaccination rate in adults is still very low.
Hepatitis B, hepatitis C can all lead to complications causing cirrhosis, liver cancer, acute liver failure,... According to mortality statistics, death from cirrhosis, liver cancer ranks second. 4 of the causes of death.
Hepatitis B and C viruses have similar transmission routes, which are blood-borne, sexual, and mother-to-child transmission. In particular, hepatitis B is mainly transmitted from mother to child, hepatitis C is mainly through blood, especially by sharing needles and injection equipment through the skin.
In the family, if one person has hepatitis B or hepatitis C, other members will have a high risk of infection due to the virus transmitted through blood, sex, and mother-to-child transmission. In which, blood sugar is the easiest due to sharing or using the wrong toothbrush.

Currently, hepatitis B treatment drugs only reduce and control the replication of the virus, but cannot completely eliminate the hepatitis B virus. This is explained by when the hepatitis B virus enters the body. At this time, the hepatitis B virus gene fragment will be released into the nucleus of the liver cell and then curled in it, no current drug can penetrate the nucleus of the liver cell. Therefore, hepatitis B cannot be completely cured.
In contrast to hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C can be cured because hepatitis C virus, when entering human liver cells, only replicates in the cytoplasm, not entering the nucleus of hepatocytes like such as hepatitis B virus. Therefore, current hepatitis C virus treatment drugs can completely destroy viruses in liver cells. Patients infected with hepatitis C can be completely cured of the disease.

Hepatitis B vaccination for infants in 24 hours at the hospital, hepatitis B vaccination for older children and adults (if not already given in the expanded vaccination) are proactive and positive solutions The best way to prevent hepatitis B virus. When children are 2, 3, 4 months old, they should continue to receive the 5-in-1 vaccine that contains the hepatitis B vaccine component. If they have not been vaccinated against hepatitis B, we need to apply it. measures to prevent hepatitis B virus infection through blood, sex. Actively prevent drug abuse, not addicted to injecting drugs. If addicted, detoxification must be carried out at Methadone treatment facilities. Practicing safe blood transfusion and injecting skin safety are the best measures to prevent hepatitis C infection Pregnant women should be screened for hepatitis B at antenatal care visits. Periodic health examination 1-2 times a year to determine whether hepatitis B virus infection, hepatitis C virus or not.

People with chronic hepatitis B need to have their health checked every 3-6 months. For people infected with hepatitis C virus for more than 6 months, the HCV-RNA viral load must be measured to determine whether hepatitis C is chronic or has resolved on its own. Chronic hepatitis C infection requires immediate antiviral treatment. Take good measures to prevent transmission of hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses to others. Eat nutritiously, do not use alcohol, beer, choose foods that are not toxic to the liver, be careful when taking other drugs that are harmful to the liver, do not use herbal medicines of unknown origin.

Comply with antiviral treatment of hepatitis B and hepatitis C when prescribed by a doctor. Periodic check-ups according to the doctor's appointment. Do not use herbal medicine, male medicine but arbitrarily give up anti-viral drugs. There is currently no cure for chronic hepatitis B virus, and long-term treatment must be carried out. Chronic hepatitis C has been completely cured with medication.

Reference article: cdc.backan.gov.vn