Viral hepatitis

Viral hepatitis is a group of infectious diseases primarily causing liver damage, caused by hepatitis viruses. According to etiology, it can be divided into five types: hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis D (HDV), and hepatitis E (HEV). Prevalence of each type of hepatitis: Hepatitis A has the highest incidence in preschool children, followed by young adults. The positive rate for anti-hepatitis A virus is high after 20 years of age. The incidence of hepatitis B is 5% to 6%, with males more affected than females. The global infection rate of hepatitis C is approximately 2.8%. In China, the positive rate for hepatitis C virus in the general population aged 1-59 is 0.43%, with an estimated 10 million cases. Hepatitis D is dependent on hepatitis B. Among individuals positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), the hepatitis D virus infection rate ranges from 0% to 32%. Hepatitis E is more common in middle-aged and elderly individuals.