Global Viral Hepatitis

For Everyone

At a glance

Viral hepatitis affects nearly 300 million people. Across the globe, most people with viral hepatitis are not diagnosed, nor get the treatment they need. Worldwide, an estimated 1.3 million people die each year from liver disease caused by viral hepatitis.[1] Safe and effective vaccines, prevention, and treatments can avert liver disease and cancer caused by viral hepatitis. Increasing intervention and prevention strategies can save money and lives.

Triptych of three groups of individuals affected by hepatitis worldwide

Viral hepatitis worldwide

During 20241, an estimated:

  • 1.8 million people were newly infected with hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus
  • 240 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B
  • 47 million people had hepatitis C

Did you know?

Outbreaks of hepatitis A and hepatitis E occur worldwide, particularly in parts of the world with poor sanitation. Although they result in short-term infection, they can still be severe, causing liver damage and death.

Current status of prevention and treatment

There are safe and effective vaccines against hepatitis A and hepatitis B, treatment for hepatitis B, and curative treatment for hepatitis C.

Hepatitis A prevention

Hepatitis A vaccine has the potential to control outbreaks and prevent disease and death. In 2025, however, hepatitis A vaccine was only used in 55 countries. International travel increases risk of exposure to and infection with hepatitis A virus for unvaccinated people.

Learn more about hepatitis A prevention and control.

Hepatitis B prevention

Universal hepatitis B vaccination of all infants beginning at birth, provides lifelong protection against infection and prevents infection among infants born to mothers with HBV infection.

In 2025, only 43% of infants2 received hepatitis B birth dose vaccine, and 84% of children globally received three doses of hepatitis B vaccine.

Learn more about hepatitis B prevention and control.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C treatment

Safe and effective treatments can prevent liver disease and liver cancer among people with hepatitis B and cure those with hepatitis C. Most people with viral hepatitis, however, remain undiagnosed and untreated.

In 2024, of the 240 million persons estimated to have hepatitis B worldwide, only 27% have been diagnosed. Of the 47 million people estimated to have hepatitis C worldwide, only 36% have been diagnosed and of those, 20% have been treated.1

Learn more about how CDC is working globally to eliminate global disease and death caused by viral hepatitis.

Benefits of global hepatitis B elimination

Issue

  • Without increased vaccination, diagnosis, and treatment, economic modeling estimates hepatitis B mortality could result in $784 billion globally in lost productivity during 2022–2050.3

Solutions and benefits

  • Increased uptake of vaccination, testing, and treatment worldwide can help lower global economic burden.
  • Scaling up global infant vaccination for hepatitis B to 90%, diagnosis of infection to 90%, and treatment of hepatitis B to 80% by 2030 could prevent 26 million infections and 9 million hepatitis B-related deaths during 2022–2050 based on modeling projections.3
  • Simulation studies exploring how vaccination progress since 2000 and achieving and sustaining 90% infant hepatitis B vaccination targets in the 10 countries from which the largest numbers of US immigrants with hepatitis B were born might improve health and health care costs in the United States find projected benefits through 2070 of ~485,000 fewer hepatitis B virus infections, ~37,000 hepatitis B-related deaths prevented, and $4.3 billion in cost savings. 4

Benefits of global hepatitis C elimination

Issue

  • Most people with hepatitis C go undiagnosed and untreated, yet safe and affordable treatments are available and cure over 95% of people diagnosed with hepatitis C.
  • Preventing premature deaths and increasing workforce participation among people who are cured could provide substantial economic benefits.

Solutions and benefits

  • Simulation studies estimate that increasing hepatitis C testing to diagnose 90% of people with hepatitis C and increasing treatment to 80% among people who are diagnosed, would prevent 10 million new infections and 2.1 million hepatitis C-related deaths, and produce economic gains of $46 billion globally through 2030. 5
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Division of Viral Hepatitis
  1. World Health Organization. Global Hepatitis Report 2026. World Health Organization website. Accessed July 15, 2026. https://www.who.int/teams/global-hiv-hepatitis-and-stis-programmes/hepatitis/reports/global-hepatitis-report-2026
  2. World Health Organization, United Nations Children's Fund. WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage. World Health Organization website. Accessed July 15, 2026. https://immunizationdata.who.int/global/wiise-detail-page/hepatitis-b-vaccination-coverage?CODE=Global&ANTIGEN=HEPB_BD+HEPB3&YEAR=
  3. Seaman CP, Luong P, Xiao Y, et al. A global investment case for hepatitis B elimination: a modeling study. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;8(10):932–942. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(23)00155-7.
  4. Hutton DW, Toy M, Yang D, et al. Modelling the potential impact of global hepatitis B vaccination on the burden of chronic hepatitis B in the United States. J Viral Hepat. 2024;31(9):614-622. doi:10.1111/jvh.13982.
  5. Scott N, Kuschel C, Pedrana A, et al. A model of the economic benefits of global hepatitis C elimination: an investment case. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;5(10):940–947. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(20)30189-0.