Patient guide · Understanding
Hepatitis B and C are common in Pakistan, and many people carry them for years without knowing. The most important message is hopeful: hepatitis C is now curable in most people, and hepatitis B is very manageable — but only once it's found. Testing is everything.
Hepatitis B and C are viruses that infect the liver. In many people the infection becomes long-standing (chronic), causing slow, silent inflammation. Over years, untreated infection can scar the liver (cirrhosis) and raise the risk of liver cancer. Caught early and managed well, most of that harm is preventable.
They are not spread by sharing food or water, hugging, or everyday contact.
Both infections are usually silent for years — you can feel completely well while the liver is quietly affected. A simple blood test detects them. If you've ever had an unscreened transfusion, unsterile injection or dental work, a shared razor, or a family member with hepatitis, getting tested is one of the most valuable things you can do.
Modern tablets (direct-acting antivirals) cure hepatitis C in the great majority of people, usually within 8–12 weeks, with very few side effects — one of the real success stories of modern medicine.
Hepatitis B usually can't be "cured" in the same way, but it's very controllable. Many people simply need monitoring; others benefit from safe, effective long-term medicines that suppress the virus. Crucially, a vaccine prevents hepatitis B entirely — and family members should be tested and vaccinated.
Please don't ignore it, even if you feel fine. Regular monitoring protects your liver, guides treatment timing, and screens for complications early. Avoid alcohol, be cautious with over-the-counter and herbal remedies that can stress the liver, and keep your follow-up appointments.
Care includes confirming the diagnosis, assessing how active the infection is and whether the liver is affected, deciding if and when treatment is needed, and arranging cure or long-term control — guiding you through the antiviral course for hepatitis C, or tailored monitoring and family protection for hepatitis B.
Yes. For most people, a short course of well-tolerated tablets clears the virus completely. The main barrier now is simply getting tested and starting treatment.
Everyday contact like sharing meals is safe. The risks relate to blood and, for hepatitis B, birth and sexual contact. Family testing and — for hepatitis B — vaccination are the key protections.
Feeling well doesn't mean the liver is unaffected. That's why assessment and monitoring matter even without symptoms — it lets us act before problems develop.
Whether it's screening or managing a known diagnosis, Dr. Maaz can help.
This guide provides general information only and does not replace personal medical advice, testing, or treatment. For emergencies, contact Shifa International Hospital or your nearest emergency department.