The Netherlands must do more to tackle hepatitis B and C, according to experts at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). They have drawn up a new plan aimed at further reducing infections caused by the viruses.
One of the key recommendations is to increase testing among people from countries where hepatitis remains relatively common. This includes large parts of Eastern Europe, Central and South America, Africa and Asia.
The experts also suggest testing asylum seekers for hepatitis when they arrive in the Netherlands, similar to the current screening programme for tuberculosis. People arriving from countries where tuberculosis is widespread are routinely tested.
The RIVM says there is also room for improvement in how cases are recorded. It is calling for a central registration system that records diagnoses and treatments. According to the institute, this would make it easier to identify weaknesses in healthcare and address them more quickly.
National Hepatitis Plan
The new plan updates the National Hepatitis Plan introduced in 2016. Although progress has been made, not all of the original goals have been achieved. The report, published on Monday, attributes this partly to a lack of funding and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Between 450 and 500 people die each year in the Netherlands from the consequences of hepatitis B and C. Many people carry the virus for years without knowing it because symptoms often appear only at a later stage.
In addition to migrants, groups at increased risk include men who have sex with men, people who use drugs and prisoners.
Vaccination
Children in the Netherlands are routinely vaccinated against hepatitis B. Vaccination is also available later in life, but experts say public information about this should be improved. There is currently no vaccine against hepatitis C. While the disease can usually be treated successfully, infections must first be identified.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that can have several causes and forms. Infections often produce no symptoms. However, hepatitis B and C can lead to chronic infections that cause serious health problems. These include liver cirrhosis, which increases the risk of liver cancer. Other symptoms may include fatigue, fever, muscle pain, loss of appetite and jaundice, a condition that causes the skin and whites of the eyes to turn yellow.
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