7.5.3: Viral Hepatitis
Viral hepatitis comes in several strains of the virus, the most common being A, B, and C. All three affect the liver, and can increase the risk of more serious illnesses like liver cancer. Hepatitis A is transmitted via fecal-oral contamination of surfaces, or utensils, or close personal contact with an infected person. Typically this version causes only an acute illness, but is easily spread without conscious sanitation measures. Hepatitis B and C are transmitted via direct or indirect contact with bodily fluids, including sexual intercourse, contaminated needles, and perinatal infection. Vaccines exist for Hepatitis A and B and are required for school children. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C, but there are drugs that can cure it in about 95% of cases. These infections may cause acute symptoms like fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and jaundice, but sometimes these symptoms appear weeks or even months after the initial exposure. Chronic hepatitis symptoms may not be present for years or decades (CDC, 2024a).
The most current estimated rates in the U.S. from 2021 are below.
- Hepatitis A: incidence - 11,500 new cases.
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Hepatitis B:
- Incidence - 13,300 new cases
- Prevalence of chronic disease - 640,000+ adults
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Hepatitis C
- Incidence - 69,800 new cases
- Prevalence of chronic disease - 2.2 million adults
The Division of Viral Hepatitis at the CDC has laid out aggressive goals for combating viral hepatitis in the next two years in order to address the climbing rates in the U.S. and move toward global elimination by 2030. The strategies involve increasing vaccinations, testing, and treatment, as well as prevention strategies and national surveillance. Of particular importance is to focus on disproportionately affected groups who might be unaware of their status and/or might otherwise not seek testing and treatment - such as people who inject drugs and those experiencing homelessness (CDC/NCHHSTP/Division of Viral, 2020).
Most cities and major metropolitan areas have public health clinics that provide free STI testing, particularly for the most commonly transmitted infectious diseases. These clinics also provide free condoms and vaccines, as well as testing for other infectious diseases and reproductive cancers, and some also provide HIV PrEP medication and contraceptives. They are an important resource for the communities they serve, and a key touchpoint for gathering surveillance data ( SEXUAL HEALTH CLINICS , n.d.).