ILOILO City — Fewer Western Visayans are being tested for hepatitis even as the region’s positivity rate climbed to 2.90 percent in the first half of 2026, raising concern that undiagnosed infections could silently spread and lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas warned that reduced testing could leave more infections undetected, allowing the virus to spread unknowingly and delaying treatment until serious liver damage develops.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that may result in chronic liver disease and liver cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies the viral disease into five main strains — hepatitis A, B, C, D and E — which differ in their modes of transmission and severity.
Hepatitis A is transmitted mainly through the fecal-oral route and can be prevented through proper sanitation, hygiene and safe food handling.
Hepatitis B is transmitted through contact with infected blood and other bodily fluids. In the Philippines, the virus is commonly passed to children through open wounds, contaminated instruments, exposure to an infected mother’s blood or bodily fluids during childbirth, and contaminated needles and syringes.
Infections acquired later in life may also be transmitted through sexual activity, contaminated blood products and the sharing of needles.
Acute hepatitis B often causes no symptoms, enabling infected individuals to unknowingly transmit the virus. When symptoms appear, patients may experience fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice.
Chronic cases may eventually produce signs of liver failure, including abdominal swelling, abnormal bleeding and changes in mental status.
There is no specific treatment for acute hepatitis B. Medical care generally focuses on maintaining comfort and adequate nutrition and replacing fluids lost through vomiting and diarrhea.
Hepatitis C, frequently called a “silent killer,” may not produce immediate symptoms. Signs such as severe fatigue, jaundice and abdominal discomfort may take weeks or months to appear.
The virus spreads primarily through blood-to-blood contact, including unsafe medical procedures and the sharing of needles. Regular screening and strict sterilization practices are essential because many infected people remain unaware of their condition until severe complications emerge.
Hepatitis D can infect only people who already have hepatitis B and may cause more severe liver disease. Preventing hepatitis B therefore also reduces the risk of hepatitis D.
Hepatitis E, meanwhile, is generally contracted through contaminated water or undercooked meat, underscoring the need for food safety and access to clean water.
DOH-6 said expanded screening, vaccination, safe health practices and stronger public education are necessary to arrest the silent transmission of hepatitis across Western Visayas.
Vaccination remains the primary defense against the virus. The WHO recommends that all infants receive the hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth, followed by the required succeeding doses. The vaccine provides nearly 100 percent protection.
DOH-6 aims to vaccinate 85,622 individuals specifically against hepatitis B this year, with infants and children among the priority groups because of their higher risk of developing chronic infection.
The agency also urged pregnant women to undergo hepatitis B screening during antenatal checkups to help prevent mother-to-child transmission.
“Protektahan ang iyong pamilya at sarili laban sa Hepatitis: Magpabakuna – siguraduhing makatanggap ang iyong sanggol ng Hepatitis B birth dose at lahat ng bakuna sa tamang schedule Magpatingin – kung ikaw ay buntis, magpasuri para sa Hepatitis B bilang bahagi ng antenatal check-up. Magpagamot – kung ikaw ay may chronic hepatitis B, at magpatining nang regular. Bumisita sa health center para sa pagsusuri, pagbabakuna, at tamang gamutan,” DOH-6 advocates.
Data from DOH Region 6 showed that 1,566 of the 54,024 people tested for hepatitis B from January to June this year were confirmed positive.
The 2.90-percent positivity rate was higher than the 2.55 percent recorded in 2025, despite a decline in the number of people undergoing testing.
Males posted the highest positivity rate at 3.96 percent, compared with 2.25 percent among females and 2.06 percent among pregnant women.
Meanwhile, 7,109 people were screened for hepatitis C during the same six-month period, consisting of 4,229 males and 2,880 females.
Only 25 — 18 males and seven females — tested positive, equivalent to a positivity rate of 0.35 percent. No positive case was recorded among pregnant women./PN
