Key points
- After annual increases during 2015–2018, hepatitis A cases decreased 47% from 2019 through 2020.
- After a decade of stable rates, the rate of acute hepatitis B abruptly decreased by 32% after 2019.
- The incidence rate of acute hepatitis C has doubled since 2013 (124% increase), and during 2020 increased 15% from 2019.
Purpose
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver most often caused by a virus. In the US, the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. While each can produce similar symptoms, each hepatitis virus affects the liver differently, has different routes of transmission and infection, and typically affects different populations.
Fortunately, effective vaccines are available to help prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Although no vaccine is available for hepatitis C, life-saving treatment can cure the virus. Learn more about the different viral hepatitis types.
The impact of COVID-19 on viral hepatitis
The findings in this report should be interpreted with caution. The number of viral hepatitis cases reported to CDC in 2020 may be lower than in years before the COVID-19 pandemic began. This decrease may be related to fewer people seeking healthcare and being tested for viral hepatitis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more about how COVID-19 impacted data reporting.
Report overview and citation
The 2020 Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Report is published by the Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia.
Data are presented for the cases of viral hepatitis infection from 1 January 2020 through 31 December 2020. All material contained in this report is in the public domain and may be used and reprinted without special permission. CDC, however, appreciates that you cite the report according to the guidelines below.
How the data are used
The Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Report – United States, 2020 represents the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of viral hepatitis-related data. The surveillance process is essential to monitor trends that inform planning, implementation, and evaluation that are needed to reverse increasing current trends and improve viral hepatitis public health policy and practice.
Key findings
Hepatitis A
During 2020, 49 states and the District of Columbia reported 9,952 hepatitis A cases corresponding to 19,900 estimated infections.
Hepatitis A cases decreased during 2020
After annual increases during 2015–2018, hepatitis A cases decreased 47% from 2019 through 2020.
Hepatitis B
During 2020, 44 states reported 2,157 acute hepatitis B cases corresponding to an estimated 14,000 infections, and 39 states reported a total of 11,635 newly identified chronic hepatitis B cases.
Acute hepatitis B cases abruptly decreased during 2020
After a decade of stable rates, the rate of acute hepatitis B abruptly decreased by 32% after 2019.
- Rate of chronic hepatitis B cases is 12x higher in API populations: The rate of newly reported chronic hepatitis B cases among Asian/Pacific Islander (API) persons was almost 12 times the rate among non-Hispanic White persons.
- Rate of hepatitis B-associated deaths is highest in API populations: The death rate with hepatitis B among Asian/Pacific Islander (API) persons was nearly 9 times the death rate among non-Hispanic White persons.
Hepatitis C
During 2020, 44 states reported a total of 4,798 acute hepatitis C cases, corresponding to 66,700 estimated infections, and 41 states reported a total of 107,300 newly identified chronic hepatitis C cases.
Acute hepatitis C cases increased during 2020
The incidence rate of acute hepatitis C has doubled since 2013 (124% increase), and during 2020 increased 15% from 2019.
- Acute hepatitis C and injection drug use as a risk factor: Among the 32% of reported acute hepatitis C cases that included risk information for injection drug use, 66% reported it.
- Rate of hepatitis C-associated deaths is highest in AI/AN and non-Hispanic Black persons: The death rates with hepatitis C among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons and non-Hispanic Black persons were 3.2 times and 1.8 times higher, respectively, than among non-Hispanic White persons.