“Hepatitis B is 💯 percent curable do not b deceived,” reads a message posted on a public Facebook group page with more than 5,000 followers.
Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus.
Other Facebook posts make the same claim: “Hepatitis B is a curable disease, this infection completely goes away from the body forever.”
African Check has previously debunked claims that a bitter kola, lime and honey mixture, or a papaya and moringa mixture, can cure hepatitis B.
But is the condition even curable? We checked.
Chronic hepatitis B can be managed
According to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical centre in the US, the symptoms of hepatitis B can range from mild to severe. They include abdominal pain, fever, dark urine and jaundice.
Some infections can become chronic, lasting more than six months, the Mayo Clinic says. Chronic hepatitis B could increase the risk of complications such as liver failure or cancer.
There are specific things a person can do to help prevent infection with the virus, but hepatitis B is not curable.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that although the disease can’t be cured, chronic hepatitis B can be treated with medicines, which can improve long-term survival.
The US-based Hepatitis B Foundation says that some hepatitis B medicines reduce potential liver damage by suppressing the virus. This helps liver enzymes and liver function normalise, improving the organ’s ability to heal.
The WHO estimates that, in 2019, 296 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B. It adds that there are about 1.5 million new infections every year.
The organisation recommends vaccinating infants against the virus as soon as possible after birth.
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