CDC Viral Hepatitis Updates

World Hepatitis Day- July 28th

Illustration of a computer monitor with the Assessment application on the screen

World Hepatitis Day- July 28th

Viral hepatitis — a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E — affects millions of people worldwide, causing both acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) liver disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) data show an estimated 325 million people worldwide are living with chronic hepatitis B or chronic hepatitis C. Viral hepatitis causes more than one million deaths per year, a number comparable to deaths caused by tuberculosis and HIV combined. While deaths from tuberculosis and HIV have been declining, deaths from hepatitis are increasing.

World Hepatitis Day is July 28th and is an opportunity to learn about the global burden of this disease and CDC’s efforts to combat viral hepatitis around the world. People can also find out if they should be tested or vaccinated for hepatitis A, B or C by taking CDC’s online Hepatitis Risk Assessment, which is based on CDC recommendations for the United States.https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/worldhepday.htm

MMWR: Access to Treatment for Hepatitis B Virus Infection — Worldwide, 2016

Among persons living with HBV worldwide, approximately 27 million (10.5%) were aware of their infection, including 4.5 million (16.7%) who were on treatment. In 2017, all but two low- and middle-income countries could legally procure generic entecavir or tenofovir, the medicines active against HBV infection. The median price of generic tenofovir fell by >85% from 2004 to 2016. However, global treatment coverage of HBV was low. Access to treatment could be increased by taking advantage of reductions in price of antivirals active against HBV infection.https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6728a2.htm