World Hepatitis Day 2020

Campaign

28 Jul 2020

ECDC coordinates the enhanced surveillance for hepatitis A, B and C to help countries define epidemiological trends or transmission patterns among newly diagnosed cases.

World Hepatitis Day on 28 July provides an opportunity each year to increase the awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis.

Viral hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. The most common hepatitis viruses in Europe are types A, B, C and E (commonly referred to as HAV, HBV, HCV and HEV). Together, HBV and HCV are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer.

European surveillance data show on-going transmission of hepatitis B and high annual levels of hepatitis C diagnoses.

That is why targeted testing to reach those most at-risk of infection is an essential element of any strategy to eliminate viral hepatitis across the countries in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

However, according to recent ECDC findings, only a few countries across the EU/EEA have met the 2020 target of the European Action Plan in diagnosing 50% of people with chronic hepatitis B or C.

News story

Viral hepatitis: Europe needs to close the testing gap

27 Jul 2020

Monitoring the progress towards hepatitis B and C elimination

Surveillance and monitoring

Monitoring the responses to hepatitis B and C epidemics in the EU/EEA Member States, 2019

19 May 2020

Surveillance data and tools

Surveillance report

Hepatitis B - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2018

22 Jul 2020

Surveillance report

Hepatitis C - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2018

22 Jul 2020

Hepatitis B - prevalence database

Hepatitis C prevalence database

Disease page

Hepatitis E

Toolkit

Toolkit to support the generation of robust estimates of hepatitis C prevalence

5 Mar 2020

Tools for public health

Algorithm to assist in decision making around prevalence surveys for hepatitis C

5 Mar 2020

Public health guidance

Public health guidance in brief on HIV, hepatitis B and C testing in the EU/EEA

5 Dec 2018 - The ECDC guidance on integrated testing of hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV supports countries in the global effort to combat viral hepatitis and eliminate HIV as public health threats by 2030. At present, reaching and testing those at risk of infection with HIV, HBV or HCV is still a public health challenge across Europe. This Guidance in brief is based on the comprehensive guidance document which provides the evidence base for this guidance

Public health guidance on HIV, hepatitis B and C testing in the EU/EEA

23 Nov 2018 - This guidance aims to provide EU/EEA countries with an evidence-based framework to help develop, implement, monitor and evaluate their own national HBV, HCV and HIV testing guidelines and programmes.

Guidance in brief: Prevention and control of blood-borne viruses in prison settings

23 Jul 2018 - This guidance is intended for policymakers responsible for the planning and delivery of healthcare services in the national or sub-national custodial system and all professionals responsible for the health and well-being of people in prison, including community-based service providers and those facilitating continuity of care in the community.

Compendium of good practices in the health sector response to viral hepatitis in the WHO European Region (2020)

Mortality from liver diseases attributable to hepatitis B and C in the EU/EEA – descriptive analysis and estimation of 2015 baseline

More on this topic

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis infection, ranging in severity from a mild illness that lasts only a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness resulting in cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a liver disease that results from infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and is spread through contact with infected body fluids or blood products.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is an acute infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus, a small, non-enveloped hepatotropic virus classified in the genus Hepatovirus within the family Picornaviridae.

Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is an acute or chronic infection with the hepatitis E virus (HEV). In Europe, most of the infections are locally-acquired and asymptomatic

Viral hepatitis

Viral hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. The most common hepatitis viruses in Europe are types A, B, and C (commonly referred to as HAV, HBV and HCV).

World Hepatitis Day 2020

Viral hepatitis: Europe needs to close the testing gap

Monitoring the progress towards hepatitis B and C elimination