Viral Hepatitis

Viral hepatitis is a major public health threat and a leading cause of death worldwide with an annual mortality similar to that of other major infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis.^1,2

From the discovery of the first specific biomarker of viral hepatitis in 1963, hepatology became a focused subject.³ Progress has been made—including the development of vaccines and cures—yet viral hepatitis remains a global health burden with many cases of acute and chronic infection exhibiting no or mild symptoms.¹

Today, an estimated 90% of the 354 million people worldwide living with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) are unaware of their status.¹ If left undiagnosed and untreated, these infections may progress to severe diseases such as cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and end-stage liver failure.¹

• Viral hepatitis accounts for 1.34 million deaths globally—including liver cancer, acute cases, and cirrhosis⁴—and exceeded the number of deaths caused by HIV infection, tuberculosis, or malaria in 2018.⁴
• HBV infections are severely underdiagnosed and not curable— infections in infancy and early childhood lead to chronic hepatitis in about 95% of cases.⁵

• HCV infections are usually asymptomatic, causing approximately 70% of cases to develop into chronic infections, leading to significant (and unnecessary) mortality.⁶

• By 2040, deaths from chronic hepatitis are expected to exceed the combined mortality associated with HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.⁴
• Despite these numbers, vaccines exist for HBV and antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of persons with hepatitis C infection.^5,6 However, for most affected populations, testing and treatment remain beyond reach.¹

Hepatitis can affect both the general health and quality of life of infected populations, resulting in significant economic burden on countries.¹

However, despite this prevalence, viral hepatitis receives relatively little funding and attention from global health policy makers and donors compared to diseases like HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

A study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that an estimated 4.5 million premature deaths could be prevented in low- and middle-income countries by 2030 through the use of vaccination, diagnostic tests, medicines, and education campaigns for hepatitis.¹

In response, the World Health Assembly approved in 2016 a global strategy to take action against viral hepatitis⁷

For countries working to reach elimination, disease awareness campaigns can be an effective upfront strategy for countering the frequent asymptomatic presentation of viral hepatitis. Encouraging high-risk populations to seek out testing may accelerate elimination efforts while also helping to address stigmas often associated with infection.

Elimination in action today

An increasing number of countries are starting to work towards the WHO target of eliminating HBV and HCV, including Egypt, France, Georgia, Iceland, Mongolia, Spain, and Switzerland.⁸