Viral Hepatitis Infection

What is hepatitis? "Hepatitis" means inflammation of the liver and also refers to a group of viral infections that affect the liver. There are several different types of hepatitis: A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A, B, and C are the most common types in the U.S.

How many people are affected by hepatitis? Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation. An estimated 4.4 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis; most do not know they are infected. About 80,000 new infections occur each year.

Is there a vaccine to prevent certain types of hepatitis? There is a vaccine to prevent hepatitis A and B.

Am I at risk? Hepatitis A, B, and C are spread in different ways, so some groups of people are at higher risk of getting certain types of hepatitis than others. Find out if you are at higher risk by checking the CDC hepatitis website.