World Hepatitis Day — July 28th

World Hepatitis Day is now recognized annually on July 28th, the birthday of Dr. Baruch Blumberg (1925-2011). Dr. Blumberg discovered the hepatitis B virus in 1967 and two years later developed the first hepatitis B vaccine and for these achievements won the Nobel Prize.

The first official WHO World Hepatitis Day aims to increase awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases it causes. It provides an opportunity to strengthen prevention, screening, vaccination, and control of viral hepatitis and to coordinate a global response to hepatitis.

Hepatitis viruses can cause inflammation of the liver, chronic viral hepatitis infection can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Viral hepatitis is a major global health threat with around 350 million people living with chronic hepatitis B and around 170 million people living with chronic hepatitis C.

In the United States, approximately 4.4 million people are living with chronic viral hepatitis; many of these persons do not know that they are infected. Viral hepatitis claims the lives of an estimated 15,000 Americans each year and is the leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis.

World Hepatitis Day – Data and Statistics Feature

Approximately 1 in 12 persons worldwide, or some 500 million people, are living with chronic viral hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is among the top 10 infectious disease killers and the leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsHepatitisAwareness/index.html

Presidential Proclamation--World Hepatitis Day

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/27/presidential-proclamation-world-hepatitis-day

HHS Statement on World Hepatitis Day 2011

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/07/20110728a.html

CDC Statement on World Hepatitis Day 2011

http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/s0727_worldhepatitisday.html

Resources:

World Health Organization (WHO) – World Hepatitis Day
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_hepatitis_day/en/index.html

World Hepatitis Alliance – World Hepatitis Day
http://worldhepatitisalliance.org/WorldHepatitisDay.aspx

Follow DVH’s Twitter account @CDChep for information about World Hepatitis Day.

Get viral hepatitis email updates from CDC through GovDelivery