May is Hepatitis Awareness Month (HAM), dedicated to enhancing knowledge surrounding viral hepatitis in the U.S. HAM sheds light on the impact of the hidden viral hepatitis epidemic by raising awareness and encouraging testing and vaccination in communities around the country.
This month, HepVu will also emphasize the need for more widespread viral hepatitis surveillance. Recently, HepVu Project Director Dr. Heather Bradley authored an op-ed in STAT News highlighting the discrepancies in viral hepatitis surveillance funding when compared to other infectious diseases. Without sufficient resources for public health departments to hire staff and conduct this crucial surveillance, there is no road map to end the viral hepatitis epidemic.
In 2022, there were 4,500 estimated acute Hepatitis A infections, 13,800 estimated acute Hepatitis B infections, and 67,400 estimated acute Hepatitis C infections. According to HHS, the majority of people with Hepatitis B and C do not know they have the virus, due to a lack of symptoms and sometimes also a lack of access to testing services or an inability or unwillingness to seek care.
Hepatitis can lead to several liver-related health issues if not properly diagnosed and treated. As of 2016, nearly half of liver cancer cases were attributable to Hepatitis C, and approximately 15% were related to Hepatitis B.
Viral hepatitis also disproportionately impacts underserved communities. Despite representing only about 5% of the U.S. population, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up nearly half of all people living with Hepatitis B. American Indian/Alaskan Natives, non-Hispanic Black people, people living with HIV, people experiencing homelessness, and baby boomers are additional groups particularly impacted by viral hepatitis. Acute Hepatitis C cases have doubled since 2014, and 57% of cases with risk information reported injection drug use.
Hepatitis Awareness Month, along with National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day and Hepatitis Testing Day, provide ample opportunities to raise awareness about communities that are particularly affected by viral hepatitis and encourage our own communities to get tested, get vaccinated, and seek treatment.
HAM also provides opportunities to demonstrate the crucial role that surveillance can play in eliminating this deadly epidemic, and call for more resources to implement surveillance in public health departments nationwide.
Share our Infographics
- Week 1 (May 6-10): Reaching key populations and high-impact settings
- Week 2 (May 13-17): Protecting young families and pregnant persons
- Week 3 (May 20-24): Accelerating Hepatitis C point-of-care testing to expand test-to-cure
To learn more about the impact of viral hepatitis, explore HepVu’s resources:
- Read HepVu’s newest op-ed discussing the need for viral hepatitis surveillance.
- Find available viral hepatitis testing and care services near you with HepVu’s service locators.
- Check out HepVu’s new Injection-Involved Overdose Mortality Data, which visualizes the injection-involved opioid epidemic.
- Read HepVu’s 2022 Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Status Report to understand hepatitis funding discrepancies.
- Read HepVu’s Q&As with experts on health equity:
