Every 30 seconds, a person dies due to a hepatitis-related liver condition or cancer, despite the availability of effective prevention and treatment tools. Viral hepatitis types A, B, C, D, and E are the main culprits behind acute liver infections. Among them, hepatitis B, C, and D are particularly dangerous due to their ability to cause chronic illnesses, leading to liver cirrhosis, failure, and cancer.
Hepatitis D, which only affects individuals already infected with hepatitis B, has now been officially recognized as carcinogenic to humans. This classification places it alongside hepatitis B and C as significant cancer risks. Hepatitis D increases the likelihood of developing liver cancer by two to six times compared to hepatitis B alone. The disease presents with symptoms that typically manifest within 3–7 weeks of infection, including fever, nausea, fatigue, jaundice, dark urine, and pale stools.
This new development signals a turning point in global hepatitis response efforts. Heightened awareness, improved screening protocols, and expanded access to new treatment options are now urgently needed, particularly for hepatitis D. Despite the seriousness of the disease, most people with hepatitis remain unaware of their status, contributing to the high global death toll of over 1.3 million lives annually.
Treatment advances have already shown promise for hepatitis C, which can now be cured in two to three months, and for hepatitis B, which can be managed with lifelong therapy. While therapies for hepatitis D are still evolving, progress is being made. The challenge lies in scaling up access to vaccination, testing, harm reduction, and treatment services especially in low- and middle-income countries where the burden is often highest.
Encouragingly, strategic responses to hepatitis are growing. By 2025, the number of countries with national hepatitis action plans jumped from 59 to 123. Policies requiring hepatitis B testing during pregnancy are now in place in 129 countries, while 147 nations have introduced the hepatitis B birth dose vaccine.
Global initiatives have ramped up in support of these efforts. This year’s “Hepatitis: Let’s break it down” campaign focuses on breaking the barriers that hinder prevention and treatment calling for urgent investment, dismantling stigma, and strengthening health systems to fight the growing threat of hepatitis-related liver cancer.
