World Hepatitis Day: Everything You Should Know About Hepatitis

Every year on the 28th of July, the world observes World Hepatitis Day, commemorating the birthday of Dr. Baruch Blumberg, the Nobel laureate researcher who identified hepatitis B and its vaccine. The theme of 2025 is "Hepatitis: Let's Break It Down," urging global action to break down the economic, social, and system barriers—particularly stigma—that bar testing, vaccination, and treatment for hepatitis. Though treatable and preventable, hepatitis B and C annually kill an estimated 1.1 million individuals largely due to liver cancer and cirrhosis.

What Is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis is merely a synonym for liver inflammation, the cause of which may be infection with viruses A, B, C, D, or E, alcohol use, drugs, or autoimmune processes.

• Hepatitis A & E are spread by contaminated water or food and are usually acute self-limiting illnesses.
• Hepatitis B is spread by blood or body fluids and can be prevented with vaccines.
• Hepatitis C is spread by blood contact and is likely to become chronic; though no vaccine exists, over 95% of infections can be effectively treated with antiviral therapy.
• Hepatitis D infects only people who already have hepatitis B and aggravates the course of liver illness.

Types & Symptoms of Hepatitis

Type	Transmission	Common Symptoms	Prevention & Treatment
A & E	Food or water contaminated	Jaundice, nausea, fatigue	Good hygiene, safe water, vaccine (A)
B	Mother-to-child, body fluids, blood	Often no symptoms; fatigue, swollen liver	Vaccine, antiviral medications
C	Contact with infected blood	Often silent, chronic; may cause cirrhosis or liver cancer	Curable with antiviral drugs (DAAs)
D	Co-infection with Hepatitis B	Most serious liver damage	Prevent B with vaccine, treat both infections
Other (autoimmune/toxic)	Varies (immune attack or toxins)	Varies (jaundice, liver inflammation)	Immunosuppressants, specialist care

Fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and in severe cases jaundice, liver damage, or liver cancer, are typical symptoms of all types.

Global Burden: Facts You Should Know

• Worldwide, approximately 304 million people have chronic hepatitis B or C as of 2022.
• There were 1.1 million deaths and 2.2 million new cases, or 3,500 deaths per day, in 2022.
• Approximately 83% of these fatalities result from hepatitis B, while the remaining 17% are due to hepatitis C. 
• Only about 13% of individuals with hepatitis B and 36% of individuals with hepatitis C were diagnosed in 2022—and only 3% and 20% of each received treatment, respectively—despite known interventions in the form of vaccines and curative medication.
• These statistics show we're off-target to achieve the WHO target of eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.

Causes & Risk Factors

Hepatitis can be transmitted by: 

Transmission Paths

• A & E: Principally transmitted through eating contaminated food or water, especially where sanitation is poor.
• B, C, and D: Transmitted by body fluids and blood, e.g., through unprotected sex, tattoos, unsafe injections, or mother-to-child transmission during birth. Hepatitis B infection is required for hepatitis D.

High-Risk Groups

Individuals who are more at risk are:

• Those who have had prior medical treatment in low-resource settings or who have had blood transfusions.
• Dialysis patients, organ transplant recipients, sex workers, medical workers, intravenous drug users.
• Babies born to hepatitis B-infected mothers and first-degree relatives.

Diagnosis: Who Should Be Tested and How

Target Groups for Testing

All individuals with the following should be tested:

• Histories of exposures (e.g., injection, transfusion, travel, or risk behavior).
• Persistent or unexplained symptoms: fatigue, jaundice, dark urine, abnormal liver enzymes.
• Pregnant women, health-care workers, residents of high-prevalence neighborhoods.

Testing Methods

• Routine blood tests identify viral infection or inflammation of the liver.
• Liver imaging (e.g., ultrasonography) and examination for liver cancer or cirrhosis may be necessary in chronic disease.
• Preexisting hepatitis B and certain antibody tests are needed to diagnose hepatitis D.

Treatment & Care Plans

Treatment depends on the type of Hepatitis.

Hepatitis A & E

Typically acute:

• Managed by fluid intake, rest with caution, and symptom relief.
• Severe disease or liver injury can involve monitoring.

Hepatitis B

• Prevention by vaccine is a form of primary prevention.
• Antiviral treatment (e.g., tenofovir) is able to suppress viral replication and decrease liver cancer risk.
• Mother-to-child transmission prevention with birth-dose vaccine and pregnancy antiviral prophylaxis.

Hepatitis C

• Cures more than 95% of infections with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).
• Follow-up observation continues after treatment for liver complications.

Hepatitis D

• Requires treatment of underlying hepatitis B infection.
• Certain antiviral drugs (e.g., bulevirtide or interferon) might be utilized in certain situations.

Conclusion

World Hepatitis Day in 2025 serves as a timely reminder that, although hepatitis may be prevented, treated, and often cured, millions of individuals are unable to receive care due to systemic failures, stigma, and limited access. The slogan for the campaign is "Hepatitis: Let's Break It Down." The topic for this year is removing obstacles to efficient diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. We can get closer to eliminating hepatitis from public health by 2030 by expanding testing, expediting vaccine access, and closing access gaps to antiviral treatments.

FAQ’s

Q1. What is the theme of  2025 World Hepatitis Day?
A: The topic is "Hepatitis: Let's Break It Down," and the goal is to eradicate hepatitis by 2030 by removing obstacles to screening, care, and awareness.

Q2. Who needs to get a hepatitis test?
A: Everyone should get tested if they have risk factors such as unprotected sex, blood transfusions, or symptoms like jaundice. Screening should also be done for those with liver issues, pregnant women, and medical professionals.

Q3. How is the diagnosis of hepatitis made?
A: Hepatitis viruses or antibodies can be detected by a standard blood test. To monitor liver function, other tests such liver function tests or ultrasonography may be recommended.

Q4. Is there a cure for hepatitis?
A: Most cases of hepatitis C can be treated with existing drugs, although hepatitis B can be managed with antivirals. Hepatitis A and E usually resolve with supportive therapy without treatment.

Q5. How is hepatitis prevented?
A: You can prevent hepatitis by getting immunized for hepatitis A and B , safe sexual practice, avoiding consumption of contaminated food and water and getting routine blood test done.