Hi!If ever there is a finicky woman, my friend Simbi is one. Simbi is so  meticulously finicky she sometimes make me roll my eyes to the heavens when she starts. You dare not wear your dirty shoes into Simbi’s apartment, even as a visitor. There is a corner for your shoes as you enter the house. Her kitchen is almost spotless you will wonder if she ever cooks in it. Same for her bedroom and living areas. Her house helps are rigidly schooled in the dos and don’ts of living with Simbi and dare not incur her anger by making silly mistakes. An important rule in Simbi’s house is that visitors must never be served with the same plates, cups and cutlery used by the household. Everything used for visitors, including trays are kept separate, washed and disinfected after every use. I used to think this is a bit too snobbish of her. Is it that she suspects everyone of carrying some strange infectious diseases with the intent of infecting her. Last year, I had cause to change my views about Simbi’s housekeeping style and have since adopted same.

As part of our hospitality and the need to ensure that artisans invited to work around the house never stop coming whenever they are called upon, we serve them food. Especially after working for a considerable number of hours. I don’t have dedicated eating utensils for anyone. We all eat from the same crockery. Baba as we all call him has been with us several years as laundry man. This meant that he spends quite a significant number of hours in the house, sometimes alone with my little girl and even free to roam about my little place. On one of Baba’s visits, I’d noticed that he looked really tired. He admitted to having not had breakfast which I offered him. But shortly after he got to work, I noticed he was sweating profusely and asked him to take a break to rest. He told me he had malaria and was on treatment drugs. He ought not to have come to iron when he knew he was ill, I admonished him. I advised he called it a day, and go home to rest. He agreed but insisted on finishing the clothes he’d already wet for ironing.

A few minutes after, I noticed Baba slowly going down, then he slumped. I tried to grab him while calling for help and together with my son, we were able to drag him into one of the rooms to rest. I noticed he’d sustained some bruises which were bleeding and helped him clean. Then we left him to sleep throughout the afternoon, thinking he would be better by the evening. When he still was not better at about 7pm, we knew there was a serious problem and had to call for help. That night, Baba was moved to a neighbourhood hospital, treated and discharged the next day. It would be his last time of coming to work for us. He was advised to go for further treatment at the government hospital.    At the general hospital, Baba informed me that he was diagnosed with liver disease. I almost fainted, how cruel can this life be? Why someone like Baba?

He was admitted again at the general hospital for a few days. I met his wife for the first time. She stood by him, always by the bedside. Two weeks after Baba was discharged, the horrible news of his wife’s death reached me. It was most unbelievable. Was she sick too? What happened to her? Several questions ran through my mind which I could not find answers for. I thought about his young children, wondering what would happen to them without their loving mother. It would be very difficult for Baba to take care of them all by himself. Little did I know that there was more to come. No sooner had Baba’s wife been committed to mother earth, did Baba follow her to the great beyond. Both deaths, a month apart. I was devastated for several weeks. I couldn’t help but wonder what could have caused such a disaster in a family. They were not old, so it was not old age. Did they have a love pact to die together? or was it just fate that they had to go like that, leaving four young children behind? My spirit would not allow me rest, something kept telling me I had to find out what exactly killed this couple. So, I went to find out. I called a few friends he also worked for and the one who’d introduced him to us all. What I learnt almost threw me off balance. Baba and his wife had died of complications from Hepatitis.

It was my turn to be covered in sweat. My mind raced back to the day he slumped while working at my place. How my son and I had helped him into our bed, practically carrying his sweaty, bloody body in our arms. How I had helped him clean his bruises with my bare hands, without gloves. Then I remembered Simbi and all her meticulous finicky. Pointless to say that we had truly been careless. What if……? God forbid! But possible!! I was already in panic mode. My heart was racing so much it felt as if it would jump out of my chest. What have I done to my family?    It took my son to remind me that we already took the vaccine a few years back and were still covered. Only then did I begin to relax and think rational again. Thanks to the Almighty for blessing us with the grace of the shots, long before we were exposed to it. But wait oh! We might be immune to Hepatitis, but what about HIV? Hmm!! I am sure you can guess what my action would be by now. HIV tests right away.

It is alarming the levity at which we treat the many seeming little but important things in our lives. The many innocent ways we expose ourselves and our dear ones to danger even as the realities stare us in the face. A few days ago, I came across a social media message on a similar incident involving a house help with HIV who had infected the two children of her boss. It is important that we pay attention to these little things to safeguard the welfare and health of our families. Some of these neglects can resort into dire consequences where care is not properly taken. To educate us about the Hepatitis, I have summarised its causes, symptoms and treatment below. Vaccines for some types are available at our hospitals.

Hepatitis

Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver. Viral Hepatitis is caused by different viruses, some of which have not even been discovered. The identified Hepatitis virus are Hepatitis A,B,C,D and E viruses.

Symptoms of Viral Hepatitis

Symptoms include

• jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• fatigue
• abdominal pain
• loss of appetite
• nausea
• diarrhoea
• vomiting

However, some individuals may not have symptoms until the disease is advanced.

Hepatitis A  is caused by taking water or food contaminated with the faeces of an infected person.

Hepatitis B  is caused by contact with infected blood, sex with an infected person and from mother to child during birth.

Hepatitis C  is primarily contracted through contact with infected blood and in rare cases through sex with infected people.

Hepatitis D  occurs only in people who are already infected with Hepatitis B and it is contracted through contact with blood. People who have Hepatitis B are also at risk if they have sex with a person infected with Hepatitis D or if they live with an infected person.

Hepatitis E  has every semblance to Hepatitis A. It is contracted through consumption of food and water contaminated with faeces of an infected person and usually resolves on its own given a period of time. It however does not have a vaccine.

People at Risk

International travellers, people living in areas where Hepatitis A outbreaks are common, people who live with or have sex with an infected person, during outbreaks, day care children and employees, sexually active gay men, injection drug users, infants born to infected mothers, health care workers, people who have multiple sex partners, people who receive transfusion of blood or blood products.

Prevention

Both Hepatitis A and B can be prevented by getting vaccinated against the disease. There are no vaccines for the prevention of Hepatitis C, D and E, however, all are treatable with drugs. Hepatitis A can resolve on its own after a period of time. Hepatitis virus can also be prevented by reducing the risk of exposure to the virus, practicing proper hygiene and sanitation, avoiding behaviours like sharing drug needles or sharing personal items like toothbrushes, razors, and nail clippers with an infected person, avoiding exposure to infected blood, avoiding tap water when travelling internationally.

Treatment

Because Hepatitis is preventable and treatable especially when treated promptly, it is important that an infected person seek medical attention immediately.

However, there are some cases of viral Hepatitis that cannot be attributed to Hepatitis ABCD or E. These are called non A-E Hepatitis or Hepatitis X. Their origin has not been proven and so research work continues.