The Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver yesterday said that there are an estimated 1 million hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers who need medical treatment to prevent the progression of cirrhosis or liver cancer, but only about 170,000 people have accepted treatment.
Taiwan has a relatively high HBsAg-carrier rate of about 10 to 15 percent, said Chien Rong-nan (簡榮南), head of the association and deputy superintendent at Keelung Chang Gung Medical Hospital, adding that the disease is especially prevalent among people above 30 years of age, as hepatitis B vaccinations for newborns were launched in 1984.
“There are an estimated 2.6 to 3 million HBsAg carriers in Taiwan, among them about 1 million to 1.2 million, about 40 percent, are at higher risk of chronic infection and progressing of liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and cancer, so they are in need of medical treatment,” Chien said, adding: “However, medical records from the past 12 years show that only about 170,000 people have sought medical treatment.”
Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) that attacks the liver, triggering the body’s immune system to target the virus along with infected liver cells, or hepatocytes, thus causing inflammation in the liver, said Dai Chia-yen (戴嘉言), a physician at Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-ho Memorial Hospital.
Liver fibrosis occurs as a result of the repeated injury and repair of hepatocytes, and advanced liver fibrosis can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure or cancer, he said.
“However, because the liver does not contain nerve fibers that sense pain, it is often too late when people notice symptoms associated with liver disease, such as fatigue or nausea,” Dai said.
Statistics obtained through chronic HBV infection screening conducted by Taiwan Liver Research Foundation and the hospital showed that among people found to be hepatitis B carriers, only 43 percent were aware that they were carriers, he said, adding that having a liver examination via a blood test is the best way to prevent and treat the disease at an early stage.
Chien said that a study conducted between 2000 and 2011 on 14,395 chronic hepatitis patients showed that receiving continuous treatment can reduce the prevalence of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis by 22 percent, liver cancer by 14 percent and death from liver cancer by 24 percent.
“Oral medication needs to be taken daily for three years and can effectively suppress the virus, but the disease has a reoccurance rate of 20 to 50 percent after treatment ends,” Chien said, adding that weekly interferon injections for a year is another choice of treatment that can effectively terminate the virus, but might have side effects ,with symptoms similar to a cold.
Patients can discuss with doctors to find out which treatment is best for them, he said, adding that the most important thing is to have regular liver examinations, as well as follow-up examinations or treatment if they are HBsAg carriers.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and
RSS