Pakistan carries one of the world's highest hepatitis C burdens. The infections that matter, how they actually spread, and the two things you can act on this week.
Pakistan has one of the highest hepatitis C burdens in the world, and a large share of people carrying it do not know. Hepatitis B and C often cause no symptoms for years while quietly damaging the liver.
The types that matter here
Hepatitis A and E spread through contaminated food and water. They cause an acute illness (jaundice, nausea, exhaustion) and usually resolve on their own. Hepatitis E is dangerous in pregnancy.
Hepatitis B and C spread through blood and body fluids. These are the ones that turn chronic, and that lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer decades later.
How B and C actually spread
The realistic routes here are:
- Reused or improperly sterilised needles and syringes, including at informal clinics
- Unscreened blood transfusions
- Shared razors at barbershops, and unsterilised dental or surgical instruments
- Tattooing and ear piercing with reused equipment
- Mother to child during birth
They do not spread through sharing food, hugging, or drinking from the same glass.
Two things worth doing
Get tested. A simple blood test tells you your hepatitis B and C status. If you have ever had a transfusion, a surgical or dental procedure, or a shave at a barbershop, it is worth knowing. Hepatitis C is now curable in most cases with a course of tablets, but only if it is found.
Get vaccinated against hepatitis B. It is safe, widely available, and given as a course. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, which makes avoiding exposure the only defence.
Where we come in
We are a Hameed Latif Laboratory collection point, so hepatitis screening can be done at either branch, or at home if you would rather book a home sample collection. Message us and we will confirm the current price, whether you need to fast, and how long the report takes.