The global burden of viral hepatitis has intensified, with deaths rising from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022, translating to approximately 3,500 daily fatalities attributed to the disease. This places viral hepatitis as the second leading cause of mortality from infectious agents worldwide.
These findings are outlined in the recently unveiled Global Hepatitis Report 2024, launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) at the World Hepatitis Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. Despite advancements in diagnostic capabilities and treatment modalities, the report underscores a concerning stagnation in global treatment rates and detection test coverage.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, expressed alarm, stating, “This report paints a concerning picture: Despite global progress in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are increasing because very few people with hepatitis are being diagnosed and treated.”
Hepatitis B emerges as the primary driver of mortality, accounting for 83% of deaths from the disease in 2022, with hepatitis C responsible for the remaining 17%. The report prioritizes these strains while not considering the mortality of less prevalent types of hepatitis.
Additionally, the report highlights a daily influx of over 6,000 new viral hepatitis cases globally. Although there was a slight decrease from 2.5 million new cases in 2019 to 2.2 million in 2022, the WHO deems the incidence still alarmingly high.
In 2022, an estimated 254 million individuals were living with hepatitis B, while 50 million had hepatitis C. Thor Dantas, MD, PhD, of the Brazilian Society of Hepatology, underscores the continued spread of these diseases, particularly hepatitis C due to inadequate access to sterile sharp materials.
Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine against hepatitis B, its prevalence persists, indicating a failure in preventive measures implementation. Half of chronic hepatitis B and C cases affect individuals aged 30 to 54, with 12% occurring in children and a majority affecting men.
Accessing diagnosis and treatment remains a significant challenge, with only 13% of chronic hepatitis B cases diagnosed and a mere 3% receiving antiviral therapy by 2022, falling short of the WHO’s 2030 target of treating 80% of cases.
Brazil, although surpassing the global average in diagnostic rates for hepatitis B, still falls below treatment targets. In contrast, its diagnosis and treatment rates for hepatitis C exhibit some improvement.
Regional disparities are notable, with two-thirds of cases concentrated in ten countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Russia.
Brazil ranks 15th globally in hepatitis C incidence, with 536,000 cases in 2022. However, profound differences in treatment prices persist globally, with many countries paying above global reference values, including for nonpatented medications.
This summary was translated from the Medscape Portuguese edition using various editorial tools, including AI, and underwent human editorial review before publication.
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