In The Know Zone

Hepatitis Statistics

Statistics

Hepatitis A

  • About 15% of people infected with hepatitis A will have recurring symptoms over a 6 to 9 month period.
  • Hepatitis A occurs in epidemics (many affected people) within the United States and internationally.
  • During epidemics years the number of cases of hepatitis A reached 35,000 in the U.S.
  • The number of cases of hepatitis A decreased in the early 1990, when the vaccine (shot) began to be used more commonly.
  • One-third of Americans have had hepatitis A at some point of their lives.

    Hepatitis B

  • About 30% of people with hepatitis B show no signs or symptoms.
  • Chronic (long-term) infection due to hepatitis B occurs in 90% of babies infected at birth.
  • Death from chronic liver disease due to hepatitis B occurs in 15 to 25% of infected persons.
  • Infections due to hepatitis B declined from 450,000 in the 1980s to about 80,000 in the late 1990s.
  • The highest number of cases of hepatitis B occurs in people from 20 to 49 years of age.
  • Largest decline of hepatitis B due to vaccination has occurred in children and teenagers.
  • About 1.25 million people in the United States have chronic infection of hepatitis B.
  • Between 20 and 30% of adult Americans with chronic hepatitis B were infected during childhood.

    Hepatitis C

  • About 80% of persons infected with hepatitis C show no signs or symptoms.
  • Chronic infection due to hepatitis C occurs among 75% to 85% of infected people.
  • Persons infected with hepatitis C have declined from 240,000 in the 1980s to 40,000 in 1998.
  • A majority of persons infected with hepatitis C are infected because of drug use.
  • About 3.9 million Americans have been infected with hepatitis C.
  • Of the total hepatitis C infected Americans, about 2.7 million are chronically infected.
In The Know: STI Pamphlet/ DVD Package
In the Know: STI Pamphlet Package