World Liver Day plays a vital role in raising awareness of chronic liver diseases. Celebrated every year on 19 April, this special day aims to promote liver disease prevention campaigns, improve screening strategies and increase access to effective treatment. In 2023, 19 April gained international status from the major liver associations worldwide and has become an international movement aimed at raising public awareness of liver health and ultimately reducing the socioeconomic burden.
Liver
The liver is one of the most vital organs in the human body which performs more than 500 complex functions to keep you healthy. Located on the right side of the body, this organ weighs about 1.5 kilograms and comprises 8 segments and thousands of lobes. It has the capability of regenerating itself with just 25% of healthy liver tissue.
Functions of Liver
One of the many functions of the liver is to regulate most chemical levels in the blood and excretes bile which helps carry away waste and breaks down fats in the small intestine. The liver processes all the blood leaving the stomach and intestine to balance the nutrients. Metabolization of toxic chemicals like drugs and alcohols is also performed here.
Chronic Liver Diseases
Liver health is very important and unfortunately, there are many chronic liver-related diseases. 2 million people lose their lives each year from chronic liver diseases. 1.5 billion people suffer from chronic liver diseases and 90% of the cases are preventable.
These are some of the most common chronic liver diseases:
-Liver Cancer numbers are on the rise with an estimated about one million cases occurring in 2020 alone.
-Steatotic Liver Disease (also known as Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) is the most common chronic liver disease comprising 59% of the cases. It affects over a quarter of the world’s population with a growing prevalence synchronous with the increasing rates of obesity and type-2 diabetes.
-Alcoholic Liver Disease is a spectrum of diseases which includes alcoholic fatty liver with or without hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis (reversible because of acute ingestion) to cirrhosis (irreversible).
-Viral Hepatitis presents additional global health challenges, with death rates beginning to outnumber those from HIV/AIDS. There are 5 different and most common types of Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, the number of lives lost due to viral hepatitis has increased to 1.3 millions, of these 83% were caused by Hepatitis B (caused by Hepatitis B virus (HBV)) and 17% by Hepatitis C (caused by Hepatitis C virus (HCV)).
Anatolia Geneworks’ Bosphore Hepatitis kits provide in vitro diagnostic tools for detection, screening, quantification, and genotyping against HBV and HCV.
To decrease the risk factors of these chronic liver diseases, you can exercise, follow a healthy diet, get regular checks, avoid exposure to environmental pollutants, avoid alcohol, get vaccinated, follow hygiene rules, know your family history and practice safe sex.
On World Liver Day, as Anatolia Geneworks we want to encourage everyone to take good care of their liver and show our support to fight against chronic liver diseases with our diagnostic tools.
