Global Epidemiology of Viral Hepatitis.

Viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D, and E) is the leading cause of inflammation of liver tissue (hepatitis). The disease burden associated with hepatitis A and E occurs shortly after infection; it is more severe among adults. With hepatitis A and E, the number of incident cases (new acute infections) is important from a public health perspective. Long-term hepatitis has been shown to cause cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in patients. The disease burden associated with hepatitis B, C, and D appears 10 to 20 years after infection. Thus, the prevalence of these infections is important from a public health perspective.