HEPATITIS REPORT 2024 -
REPORTS AND INDICES
News: India has second-most
hepatitis B, C cases after China: WHO report
What's in the news?
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According to the 2024 Global Hepatitis Report by
the World Health Organization (WHO), India accounted for a significant 11.6 per
cent of the world’s hepatitis cases in 2022.
Key Findings from Global
Hepatitis Report 2024:
1. Hepatitis cases in
India:
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This translates to over 35.3 million hepatitis infections in the country, with 29.8 million
hepatitis B and 5.5 million hepatitis C cases.
2. Global Ranking:
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India ranked second after China, contributing 27.5
percent of the global total with 83.8 million cases in 2022.
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Together, India and China accounted for nearly two-thirds of the global burden.
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Hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of death globally after tuberculosis.
3. Increase in
Mortality:
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The Global Hepatitis Report 2024 documented an
increase in the estimated mortality from 1.1 million deaths in 2019 to 1.3
million deaths in 2022.
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This indicates that the number of hepatitis-related
cancer cases and deaths are increasing globally.
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Hepatitis B caused 83 percent of these deaths and
hepatitis C 17 percent. At the same
time, about 304 million people were living with viral hepatitis B and C in
2022.
4. Demographic Trends of
Infections:
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Half the burden of chronic hepatitis B and C infection is among
people 30–54 years old and men
account for 58 percent of all cases.
5. Impact of Chronic
Viral Hepatitis:
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Chronic viral hepatitis can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma, which
accounts for 80 percent of all liver cancer cases and is the third most common
cause of cancer deaths worldwide.
6. Diagnosis and
Treatment Gaps in Chronic Hepatitis B Infections:
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Only 13 percent of people living with chronic hepatitis B
infection had been diagnosed and close to 3 percent had received antiviral
therapy at the end of 2022.
7. Diagnosis and
Treatment Gaps in Chronic Hepatitis C Infections:
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Only 36 percent of people living with hepatitis C
had been diagnosed between 2015 and 2022.
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Only 20 percent had received curative treatment
highlighting the opportunity for better linkages between diagnosis and
provision of care.
8. Reasons for Hepatitis
C Transmission:
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Injecting drug use and unsafe medical injections leads to hepatitis C
transmission.
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Unsafe medical injections alone added 13.8 percent
of new hepatitis C infections globally.
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Among the 60 countries studied by the WHO, Pakistan
accounts for 44 percent of all new hepatitis C infections attributed to unsafe
medical injections.
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Ten countries, including the United States of
America, China, the Russian Federation, India, Ukraine, Italy, Vietnam,
Kazakhstan, Japan and Pakistan, are responsible for 80 percent of hepatitis C
infections acquired through injecting drugs.
9. Decrease in
Diagnosis:
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The number of individuals diagnosed with the
disease declined from 2.5 million in 2019 to 2.2 million in 2022.
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Immunization and safe injections affected bringing
the numbers down worldwide.
10. Regional Variations:
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Due to regional variations, the WHO African Region accounts for 63 percent
of new hepatitis B infections.
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Despite that, only 18 percent of newborns receive
the hepatitis B vaccination at birth in the region.
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Globally, only 45 percent of infants received the
vaccination within 24 hours of being born.
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Hepatitis B and C lead to chronic disease for
hundreds of millions of people and together are the most common cause of liver
cirrhosis, liver cancer and hepatitis-related deaths.
Go back to basics:
Hepatitis:
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Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of the liver.
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It is commonly the result of a viral infection, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis.
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These include autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis
that occurs as a secondary result of medications, drugs, toxins, and alcohol.
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Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease that occurs when
your body makes antibodies against your liver tissue.
○
The liver is a vital organ that processes
nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections.
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When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function
can be affected.
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The five main viral classifications of hepatitis
are hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.
○
A different virus is responsible for each type of
viral hepatitis.
Classification of
Hepatitis Virus:
Hepatitis A:
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Hepatitis A is the result of an infection with the
hepatitis A virus (HAV). This type of hepatitis is an acute, short-term disease.
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Treatment: Since it is a short-term illness, it may not
require treatment.
Hepatitis B:
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The hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes hepatitis B.
This is often an ongoing, chronic
condition.
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Treatment: There is no specific treatment program for acute
hepatitis B.
Hepatitis C:
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Hepatitis C comes from the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
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HCV is among the most common bloodborne viral
infections and typically presents as a long-term condition.
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Treatment: Antiviral
medications can treat both acute / chronic forms of hepatitis C.
Hepatitis D:
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This is a rare form of hepatitis that only occurs
in conjunction with hepatitis B infection.
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The hepatitis D virus (HDV) causes liver
inflammation like other strains, but a person cannot contract HDV without an
existing hepatitis B infection.
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Treatment: The WHO lists pegylated interferon alpha as a
treatment for hepatitis D. However, this medication can have severe side
effects. As a result, it’s not recommended for people with cirrhosis liver
damage.
Hepatitis E:
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Hepatitis E is a water-borne disease that results from exposure to the hepatitis E
virus (HEV).
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Hepatitis E is mainly found in areas with poor
sanitation and typically results from ingesting fecal matter that contaminates
the water supply.
● Treatment: Currently, no specific medical therapies are available to treat hepatitis E. Because the infection is often acute, it typically resolves on its own.