World Hepatitis Day is observed on 28 July each year to increase awareness of viral hepatitis and encourage greater access to vaccination, testing, treatment and care.
The theme for World Hepatitis Day 2026 is “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down.” It calls on governments, health systems and communities to remove the financial, social and practical barriers that prevent people from receiving hepatitis services.
Viral hepatitis can damage the liver for years without causing obvious symptoms. Many people only discover that they have hepatitis B or C during blood donation, antenatal care, employment screening or tests for another health condition.
This is why testing matters.
Hepatitis B can be prevented with an effective vaccine and managed with antiviral treatment when necessary. Hepatitis C currently has no vaccine, but modern antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of infections.
Health disclaimer: This article provides general health and public-health information. It does not replace medical examination, laboratory testing, diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional. Anyone concerned about hepatitis should seek testing and clinical advice from an authorised health facility.
What Is World Hepatitis Day?
World Hepatitis Day is a global health-awareness event observed every year on 28 July.
The date commemorates the birthday of Dr Baruch Blumberg, the scientist who discovered the hepatitis B virus and helped develop its diagnostic test and vaccine.
The 2026 campaign focuses on breaking down barriers to:
Hepatitis vaccination
Early testing and diagnosis
Affordable treatment
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission
Safe blood and injections
Accurate public information
Care without stigma or discrimination
WHO reports that approximately 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024, while about 1.3 million people died from the two infections during that year.
These deaths are largely linked to complications such as liver cirrhosis and primary liver cancer.
What Is Viral Hepatitis?
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver.
The liver performs several vital functions. It helps:
Process nutrients
Remove harmful substances from the blood
Produce proteins needed for blood clotting
Store energy
Produce bile for digestion
Process medicines
Several infections, medicines, toxic substances, heavy alcohol use and autoimmune diseases can cause hepatitis.
Viral hepatitis is caused by viruses that primarily affect the liver.
The five main types are:
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis D
Hepatitis E
Hepatitis A and E usually cause short-term infections and commonly spread through contaminated food or water.
Hepatitis B, C and D can become chronic and may eventually lead to cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer.
This article focuses mainly on hepatitis B and C because they account for most chronic viral-hepatitis illness and deaths.
What Is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus, or HBV.
The infection may be:
Acute, meaning it lasts for a relatively short period
Chronic, meaning it remains in the body for many years or throughout life
Some adults clear an acute hepatitis B infection without developing chronic disease. However, infection during infancy or early childhood is much more likely to become chronic.
WHO estimated that approximately 240 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B in 2024. Hepatitis B caused an estimated 1.1 million deaths that year, mainly through liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
What Is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus, or HCV.
It can also cause acute and chronic infection.
Some people clear the virus naturally within the first six months. WHO estimates that about 30% of infected people clear the infection without treatment, while the remaining 70% develop chronic hepatitis C.
Chronic hepatitis C can remain unnoticed for many years before causing significant liver damage.
WHO estimated that about 47 million people were living with chronic hepatitis C in 2024, with approximately 239,000 deaths linked mainly to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
What Is the Difference Between Hepatitis B and C?
Although both infections affect the liver, they differ in important ways.
Hepatitis B
Can spread through blood, semen and certain body fluids
Can pass from mother to baby during birth
Has an effective preventive vaccine
May require long-term antiviral treatment
Treatment can suppress the virus but does not usually eliminate it completely
Hepatitis C
Mainly spreads through infected blood
Has no currently available vaccine
Can usually be cured with direct-acting antiviral medicines
Often causes no symptoms for many years
Both infections can cause chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and liver cancer if they are not diagnosed and appropriately managed.
How Does Hepatitis B Spread?
Hepatitis B can spread when blood, semen or certain other body fluids from a person with HBV enter another person’s body.
Common routes include:
Transmission from mother to baby during childbirth
Sexual contact with a person who has hepatitis B
Sharing needles or syringes
Unsafe medical injections or procedures
Accidental needlestick injuries
Sharing razors, toothbrushes or other items contaminated with blood
Tattooing, piercing or traditional procedures performed with unsterilised equipment
Transfusion of unscreened blood
WHO identifies mother-to-child transmission during birth and early-childhood transmission as particularly important routes in areas with a high hepatitis B burden.
Hepatitis B is not normally spread through:
Hugging
Coughing
Sneezing
Sharing ordinary meals
Casual social contact
Breastfeeding, provided appropriate clinical guidance is followed
People should not isolate or discriminate against someone because they have hepatitis B.
How Does Hepatitis C Spread?
Hepatitis C is primarily a bloodborne infection.
It can spread through:
Sharing needles, syringes or other injecting equipment
Unsafe healthcare injections
Inadequately sterilised medical or dental equipment
Unscreened blood or blood products
Needlestick injuries
Tattooing or piercing using contaminated equipment
Transmission from mother to baby, although this is less common
Sexual practices involving exposure to blood
Hepatitis C does not spread through:
Hugging
Kissing
Sharing food
Sharing drinking water
Coughing
Sneezing
Ordinary social contact
Breast milk under normal circumstances
What Are the Symptoms of Hepatitis B and C?
Many people with hepatitis B or C do not experience symptoms during the early stages.
This makes viral hepatitis a “silent” infection.
When symptoms occur, they may include:
Unusual tiredness
Fever
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Pain or discomfort in the upper-right abdomen
Joint pain
Dark urine
Pale or clay-coloured stools
Yellowing of the skin or eyes, known as jaundice
The absence of symptoms does not mean the liver is safe.
A person may have chronic hepatitis for years while inflammation and scarring gradually develop. Testing is therefore more reliable than waiting for symptoms.
Warning Signs of Serious Liver Disease
People with advanced liver disease may experience:
A swollen abdomen
Swelling of the legs or feet
Easy bruising or bleeding
Persistent jaundice
Severe weakness
Unexplained weight loss
Vomiting blood
Black stools
Confusion or unusual sleepiness
These signs require prompt medical assessment.
Vomiting blood, black stools, severe confusion or a rapidly swollen abdomen may represent a medical emergency.
Who Should Consider Hepatitis Testing?
Testing is especially important because many infected people feel healthy.
A healthcare professional may recommend testing for people who:
Have never been tested before
Are pregnant
Live with someone who has hepatitis B
Have a sexual partner with hepatitis B
Have had an occupational exposure to blood
Have received blood or blood products in settings where screening may have been inadequate
Have undergone unsafe injections or procedures
Share needles or injecting equipment
Have tattoos, piercings or scarification performed with uncertain sterilisation
Have unexplained abnormal liver-test results
Are receiving haemodialysis
Have HIV
Have a history of incarceration
Were born or raised in a location with a high hepatitis burden
Have symptoms or signs of liver disease
CDC recommends hepatitis B screening for adults and during pregnancy, while hepatitis C screening is recommended for adults and during each pregnancy in the United States. Local Nigerian testing decisions should follow national guidance and an individual clinical assessment.
How Is Hepatitis B Tested?
Hepatitis B is diagnosed using blood tests.
Testing may include several markers because one test alone may not give the complete picture.
Common markers include:
Hepatitis B surface antigen
A positive hepatitis B surface antigen result may indicate a current infection.
Hepatitis B surface antibody
This may indicate immunity due to vaccination or recovery from a previous infection.
Hepatitis B core antibody
This can help determine whether a person has previously been exposed to the hepatitis B virus.
Additional tests may be required to determine:
Whether the infection is acute or chronic
How actively the virus is reproducing
Whether liver damage is present
Whether treatment is needed
These may include:
HBV DNA viral-load testing
Liver-function tests
Ultrasound
Tests that assess liver scarring
Other hepatitis markers
A reactive screening result should be interpreted by a healthcare professional rather than used for self-diagnosis.
How Is Hepatitis C Tested?
Hepatitis C diagnosis usually involves two stages.
Step 1: Hepatitis C antibody test
This test checks whether the immune system has ever responded to HCV.
A positive antibody result does not always mean that the person still has an active infection. Some people clear the virus naturally or may have previously received successful treatment.
Step 2: HCV RNA test
An HCV RNA test checks whether the virus is currently present in the blood.
A positive RNA result confirms an active hepatitis C infection that requires clinical evaluation and consideration for treatment.
This distinction is important. A person can remain antibody-positive even after hepatitis C has been cured.
Why Should Pregnant Women Be Tested?
Hepatitis B can pass from a pregnant woman to her baby during childbirth.
Testing during pregnancy allows the healthcare team to:
Identify maternal infection
Assess the level of virus in the blood
Consider antiviral treatment when indicated
Plan timely vaccination for the newborn
Arrange appropriate follow-up
WHO recommends a timely hepatitis B birth dose, ideally within 24 hours of birth, followed by completion of the childhood vaccination schedule.
The World Hepatitis Day 2026 campaign specifically calls for routine hepatitis B testing in antenatal care and appropriate antiviral prophylaxis as part of efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.
Can Hepatitis B Be Prevented?
Yes. Hepatitis B is preventable with vaccination.
The hepatitis B vaccine is safe and highly effective. WHO reports that vaccination protects more than 95% of vaccinated people against acute and chronic hepatitis B infection.
Prevention measures include:
Giving newborns the hepatitis B vaccine promptly after birth
Completing the full childhood vaccination schedule
Vaccinating unprotected adults where indicated
Testing pregnant women
Using screened blood
Using sterile needles and medical equipment
Avoiding shared needles or syringes
Using sterile tattooing and piercing equipment
Avoiding sharing razors and toothbrushes
Using condoms when hepatitis B status or immunity is uncertain
Following infection-prevention procedures in healthcare settings
Nigeria includes hepatitis B vaccination in its national childhood immunisation programme and has worked to expand birth-dose vaccination and hepatitis services.
Is There a Vaccine for Hepatitis C?
No effective vaccine is currently available for hepatitis C.
Prevention therefore depends on reducing contact with infected blood.
Important measures include:
Using sterile medical and dental equipment
Screening donated blood
Avoiding shared needles and syringes
Using new, sterile equipment for tattooing and piercing
Following standard precautions in healthcare settings
Using harm-reduction services where available
Avoiding shared razors and other blood-contaminated items
Using appropriate barrier protection where sexual exposure to blood is possible
How Is Hepatitis B Treated?
Not everyone with an acute hepatitis B infection requires antiviral medication.
Management depends on:
Whether the infection is acute or chronic
HBV DNA level
Liver-enzyme results
Evidence of liver inflammation or scarring
Age and other health conditions
Pregnancy
HIV or hepatitis D coinfection
Risk of liver cancer
Some people with chronic hepatitis B need long-term antiviral treatment.
Treatment can suppress the virus, reduce liver inflammation and lower the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. However, currently available treatment does not usually remove hepatitis B completely from the body.
People who do not immediately meet treatment criteria may still need regular monitoring.
WHO’s consolidated 2026 guidance simplifies hepatitis B treatment eligibility and encourages person-centred care that can be delivered through accessible health services.
Can Hepatitis C Be Cured?
Yes.
Direct-acting antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of people with hepatitis C. Treatment usually involves oral medicines taken for a relatively short course, often approximately 8 to 12 weeks, depending on the regimen and individual circumstances.
Before treatment, the healthcare team may assess:
Whether active HCV infection is confirmed
The condition of the liver
Other medicines being used
Kidney function
HIV or hepatitis B coinfection
Previous hepatitis C treatment
Pregnancy-related considerations
Potential drug interactions
Successful treatment removes detectable hepatitis C virus from the blood.
However, previous infection does not provide reliable immunity. A person who is cured can become infected again after another exposure.
Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV
HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C can share some routes of transmission, including exposure to infected blood and some forms of sexual transmission.
Coinfection can complicate treatment and increase the risk of liver disease.
People living with HIV should receive appropriate hepatitis screening and care. The choice of antiretroviral medicines may also be influenced by hepatitis B status because some HIV medicines are active against both HIV and HBV.
Readers can learn more about HIV care in our guide to antiretroviral treatment for HIV.
Effective HIV treatment also protects immune health. Read Viral Suppression and U=U: What an Undetectable HIV Viral Load Means for an explanation of viral-load monitoring and treatment success.
It is important not to confuse the infections:
An HIV test does not diagnose hepatitis B or C.
A hepatitis test does not diagnose HIV.
Viral suppression in HIV does not eliminate hepatitis infection.
U=U relates to sexual transmission of HIV, not hepatitis B or C.
Hepatitis B and C in Nigeria
Nigeria carries a substantial viral-hepatitis burden.
Nigeria’s 2018 national survey estimated hepatitis B prevalence at 8.1% and hepatitis C prevalence at 1.1% among adults aged 15 to 64. WHO has also reported that many affected Nigerians remain unaware of their status.
In 2025, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare launched Project 365 as part of efforts to improve hepatitis awareness, screening, vaccination and linkage to treatment. The ministry reported that more than 20 million Nigerians were living with hepatitis B or C.
People seeking testing should use recognised facilities that can provide:
Appropriate hepatitis screening
Confirmatory testing
Clinical interpretation
Liver assessment
Vaccination where indicated
Treatment or referral
Counselling for partners and family members
Buying unverified test kits or taking antiviral medicines without proper assessment can lead to incorrect conclusions and inappropriate treatment.
Common Myths About Hepatitis
Myth: Everyone with hepatitis looks sick
Fact: Many people with hepatitis B or C have no symptoms for years.
Myth: Hepatitis B and C spread through casual contact
Fact: They are not normally spread through hugging, shaking hands, coughing or sharing ordinary meals.
Myth: Every form of hepatitis spreads in the same way
Fact: Hepatitis A and E are commonly associated with contaminated food or water, while B and C are mainly transmitted through blood or certain body fluids.
Myth: Hepatitis B has no prevention
Fact: Hepatitis B can be prevented with vaccination.
Myth: Hepatitis C cannot be treated
Fact: Modern antiviral treatment can cure more than 95% of hepatitis C infections.
Myth: A positive hepatitis C antibody test always means active infection
Fact: An HCV RNA test is needed to confirm whether the virus is currently present.
Myth: Herbal mixtures can cure hepatitis
Fact: Unregulated products may fail to treat the infection and can sometimes cause additional liver injury. Treatment decisions should be based on proper testing and professional assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the theme of World Hepatitis Day 2026?
The theme is “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down.” It focuses on removing barriers to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.
When is World Hepatitis Day observed?
It is observed every year on 28 July.
What are the early symptoms of hepatitis?
Possible symptoms include tiredness, nausea, poor appetite, abdominal discomfort, dark urine and jaundice. Many people have no early symptoms.
Can hepatitis B be cured?
Current treatment can effectively suppress chronic hepatitis B and reduce the risk of liver complications, but it does not usually eliminate the virus completely.
Can hepatitis C be cured?
Yes. Modern direct-acting antiviral treatment cures more than 95% of infections.
Is there a hepatitis B vaccine?
Yes. An effective hepatitis B vaccine is available.
Is there a hepatitis C vaccine?
No effective vaccine is currently available.
Can hepatitis spread through food?
Hepatitis A and E can spread through contaminated food or water. Hepatitis B and C are not normally foodborne infections.
Can someone have hepatitis without knowing?
Yes. Many people with chronic hepatitis B or C remain without symptoms for years.
Does an HIV test also test for hepatitis?
No. Separate tests are required.
Readers concerned about HIV exposure can review our guide to HIV self-testing in Nigeria, while remembering that HIV self-tests do not diagnose hepatitis.
Should family members of someone with hepatitis B be tested?
Household members and sexual partners should discuss testing and hepatitis B vaccination with a healthcare professional.
Does hepatitis always cause liver cancer?
No. However, chronic hepatitis B and C can increase the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer, particularly when infection is not diagnosed or managed.
What You Can Do on World Hepatitis Day
Individuals can support hepatitis prevention by:
Learning their hepatitis B and C status.
Checking whether they have received hepatitis B vaccination.
Ensuring newborns receive the recommended birth dose.
Avoiding unsafe injections and unsterilised sharp instruments.
Encouraging pregnant women to attend antenatal care.
Avoiding sharing needles, razors and toothbrushes.
Seeking professional care after a reactive test.
Sharing accurate information rather than stigma.
Encouraging partners and household members to test where appropriate.
Supporting fair access to vaccination and treatment.
Related Health Guides
Continue reading:
Antiretroviral Treatment for HIV: How ART Works and What Patients Should Expect
Viral Suppression and U=U: What an Undetectable HIV Viral Load Means
HIV Self-Testing in Nigeria: How It Works, Accuracy and What to Do Next
How HIV Is Transmitted: Facts, Risks and Common Myths Explained
PEPFAR-Funded HIV Programs in Nigeria: What’s Changing in 2026?
Final Takeaway
World Hepatitis Day 2026 reminds us that effective tools already exist to prevent, diagnose and treat viral hepatitis.
Hepatitis B can be prevented through vaccination and controlled with appropriate monitoring and antiviral treatment.
Hepatitis C has no vaccine, but it can usually be cured with modern antiviral medicines.
The greatest challenge is that many people do not know they are infected.
Testing, early diagnosis, newborn vaccination, safe healthcare procedures and access to treatment can prevent liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer and avoidable deaths.
Knowing your status is not something to fear. It is the first step toward protecting your health and the health of others.
About the Author
Adeyinka Joseph Alonge is a public health professional, researcher and writer with interests spanning health, science, technology, personal development and practical knowledge for everyday life.
His professional experience includes HIV prevention, testing services, treatment support, surveillance, programme monitoring, community health and public-health interventions in Nigeria.
Last fact-checked and updated: July 2026
Sources and Further Reading
World Health Organization: World Hepatitis Day 2026 Campaign
WHO: Consolidated Guidance on Hepatitis B and C Prevention, Testing and Treatment, 2026
WHO Nigeria: Nigeria Takes Steps Toward a Hepatitis-Free Future
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare: Project 365 for Hepatitis Elimination
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