Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Hepatitis worldwide - Statistics & Facts
In 2022, hepatitis B and hepatitis C caused around 1.1 million and 244 thousand deaths worldwide, respectively. Although often overlooked by the public, hepatitis is a major health burden, with hundreds of millions of people infected, and many not receiving the treatment they require. Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver, which can be caused by a number of infectious viruses, as well as alcohol abuse, toxins, and some medications. The most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E. However, hepatitis B and C account for the highest burden as they can both become chronic and cause liver cirrhosis. Fortunately, there is a cure for hepatitis C and vaccines to help prevent hepatitis B, although access remains an issue in many parts of the world. For example, just one in five people living with chronic hepatitis C worldwide were receiving treatment in 2022.
