Mr. Lawal Majiyagbe, a nurse working at International Clinic, Kano, has advised Nigerians to go for regular medical checkup to prevent Hepatitis.
He said that the advice was necessary since symptoms of the disease does not manifest on the patient.
“Many people suffering from the disease are not aware of it because the symptoms do not appear on their body,’’he said.
Majiyagbe said that there are three different types of hepatitis—A, B, and C.
He said that Hepatitis A could be contracted from eating contaminated food.
“It can also be spread through poor sanitation, poor personal hygiene, drinking unclean water or eating unwashed fruits or vegetables.
He said that Hepatitis B could be contracted through sharing needles, razor or toothbrush with an infected person.
He added that other ways of contracting Hepatitis B included having multiple partners or through mother to unborn child.
“You cannot contact Hepatitis B through handshake, sneezing, coughing or sharing foods or drinks’’, he said.
Majiyagbe said that Hepatitis C could damage the liver or cause liver cancer.
According to him, symptoms of Hepatitis C include headache, constipation, joint aches, abdominal pain and loss of appetite.
Majiyagbe said that there are vaccines that could be taken to prevent Hepatitis or suppress the virus that caused the disease.
