Key Summary
- Around five million people in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway have hepatitis B or C, but many don't know it
- More than 65 per cent of those with hepatitis B and 62 per cent of those with hepatitis C are still undiagnosed
- The virus spreads through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids, including through unprotected sex or shared drug equipment
A new report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) claims that around five million people in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway are living with chronic hepatitis B or C – but the majority are not aware of it.
The report estimates that 3.2 million people in the region are infected with hepatitis B, and 1.8 million have hepatitis C.
According to the ECDC, more than 65 per cent of those with hepatitis B and 62 per cent of those with hepatitis C are still undiagnosed.
Hepatitis B and C can remain undetected for years, and patients run the risk of liver disease and cancer.
Often dubbed as 'silent infections', they damage the liver until symptoms appear in the form of cirrhosis or cancer.
The virus spreads through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids, including through unprotected sex or shared drug equipment.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is also urging people to undergo a test for Hepatitis C, which spreads through blood-to-blood contact with an infected person.
While Hepatitis C can be cured with a short course of highly effective antiviral medications, hepatitis B cannot currently be cured.
It can only be managed with long-term treatment that helps suppress the virus and reduce the risk of liver damage.
Meanwhile, hepatitis A, which spreads via infected stool, is an acute infection that typically resolves on its own.
Globally, chronic viral hepatitis causes an estimated 1.3 million deaths each year.
The World Health Organisation has urged governments to embed hepatitis screening and treatment into primary healthcare.
