Dr Okezie Emenike, an Abuja based medical practitioner, has urged Nigerians to take precautionary measures in order to avoid contracting hepatitis.
Emenike gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
The expert warned that hepatitis has no preventive vaccines.
He described hepatitis as an inflammatory condition of the liver which was commonly caused by viral infection.
According to him, there are other factors that can cause such as autoimmune hepatitis and others caused as a result of medications, drugs, toxins and alcohol.
NAN reports that autoimmune hepatitis is where the body’s own immune system attacks the liver and causes it to become inflamed.
Emenike added that there are no specific medical therapies to prevent hepatitis, C, D and E as such required life style changes in order to avoid contracting the infection.
He also stated that these types of hepatitis could lead to serious health conditions, such as chronic liver disease, liver cirrhosis as well as liver cancer.
He encouraged patients with chronic hepatitis C to avoid alcohol in order to prevent acceleration of liver disease and liver failure.
He also advised against the use of over the counter medications and some supplements, stressing that it could affect the functions of the liver.
The medical doctor noted that regular exercise, eating right, getting medical and emotional support are measures to help reduce complications associated with the infection.
Emenike also suggested adequate rest, use of condom during sexual intercourse; quit smoking as well as drugs saying that these measures helps patients with hepatitis live long.
Credit: pulse.ng