‘World Hepatitis Day’: Rising drug use leads to spike in Hepatitis C cases in Kashmir

Srinagar: The rising use of drugs, particularly heroin, is leading to an increase in Hepatitis C cases in Jammu & Kashmir as approximately three out of four drug users in the region are Hepatitis C positive, recent data indicates.
An official from the Department of Psychiatry at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar told reporters “We screen every patient for Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, and HIV. According to hospital-based studies, around 70 percent of drug users have tested positive for Hepatitis C.”
The official said that injection drug use is prevalent among drug users, and the most common cause of Hepatitis C in this population is the sharing of needles. “Hepatitis C is a chronic disease and, if left untreated, can lead to chronic liver disease,” he said, adding that the treatment requires expensive antiviral medications for 3-6 months, which places an additional burden on the families of drug users.
According to doctors, Hepatitis A is a viral liver disease primarily spread through the ingestion of contaminated food and water or direct contact with an infectious person. Unlike Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A does not cause chronic liver disease and is rarely fatal. However, it can cause debilitating symptoms and lead to acute liver failure, which can be fatal if untreated.
“Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease,” doctors explained. “The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person. Chronic Hepatitis B can lead to serious conditions like cirrhosis and liver cancer.”
Regarding Hepatitis C, doctors described it as a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), a blood-borne virus. They said it is most commonly spread through contact with blood from an infected person. The sharing of needles among drug users is a well-known transmission route for Hepatitis C, exacerbating the suffering of affected individuals and their families, they said.
The doctors warned that without treatment, Hepatitis C can be fatal. The disease often progresses without symptoms, potentially spreading silently to other family members and even being transmitted from an infected mother to her baby.
The doctors reiterated that needle sharing among drug users is the primary cause of Hepatitis C in Kashmir, with almost three out of four drug users affected. There is also a risk of these individuals contracting other infections, such as HIV, they added