July 28 is World Hepatitis Day.
Early detection of the virus is the first step to receiving life-saving treatment and preventing liver cancer.
Prevention of hepatitis B, C and D:
- Avoid contact with other people’s body fluids;
- Use barrier methods of contraception during sexual intercourse;
- Do piercings, tattoos, manicures, and injections only with sterile instruments;
- Do not use other people’s hygiene items or shaving accessories;
- Get tested regularly for hepatitis B and C.
Prevention of hepatitis A and E:
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating;
- Wash your hands before eating, after using the toilet, after walks;
- Drink only boiled or bottled water;
- Swim in water bodies permitted for these purposes, do not swallow water while swimming;
- Observe the rules of personal and public hygiene;
A direct telephone line has been established in the Brest region to address issues of hepatitis treatment and prevention.
Brest Regional Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health
- On issues of prevention of hepatitis B, C and D
Epidemiologist of the Department of HIV and PVH Prevention
8 (0162) 58-94-54, call from 8:00 to 16:00; - On issues of prevention of hepatitis A, E
Epidemiologist, head of the anti-epidemic department
8 (0162) 53-09-38, call from 9:00 to 12:00.
Brest Regional Clinical Hospital
- Infectious disease specialist
8 (0162) 27-22-48, call from 11:00 to 15:00.
Vaccination is the most effective means of preventing viral hepatitis A and B!
World Hepatitis Day is celebrated annually on July 28 and was first observed in 2008. Its initiative was initiated by the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), which comprises more than 300 organizations from 100 countries. In 2011, the WHO added this date to its calendar, thus giving World Hepatitis Day official status. The date was chosen in honor of the birthday of Baruch Samuel Blumberg, the American virologist and Nobel Prize-winning scientist who discovered the hepatitis B virus.
The WHO Global Hepatitis Strategy, endorsed by all Member States, aims to reduce new infections by 90% and deaths by 65% between 2016 and 2030. According to a WHO study, an estimated 4.5 million premature deaths could be prevented globally by 2030 if vaccination, diagnostic testing, drug provision, and information campaigns are implemented.
The theme of World Hepatitis Day 2026—”Hepatitis: Let’s Get It Right!”—calls for removing barriers that prevent people from accessing lifesaving services. One of the achievable goals to help overcome these barriers is: “Everyone has the knowledge and understanding to make informed decisions about hepatitis testing, treatment, and vaccination.” Viral hepatitis remains a leading cause of preventable disease and death worldwide.
There are five hepatitis viruses, classified as types A, B, C, D, and E. Types B and C are of particular concern because a significant proportion of people infected with these viruses may not experience any symptoms early in the disease and only become aware of their infection when the infection becomes chronic, sometimes decades after infection. Furthermore, these two viruses are the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer, accounting for nearly 80% of all liver cancer deaths. Infection with types B, C, and D occurs through exposure to the blood of an infected person (e.g., through unsafe injections, shared items that may come into contact with blood, or untested blood transfusions), and in the case of hepatitis B and C, also through unprotected sexual contact. Hepatitis B viruses can also be transmitted vertically (from mother to child) if the mother did not receive the necessary treatment during pregnancy. Type D infects only those already infected with type B.
Globally, viral hepatitis B and C cause 1.3 million deaths each year, most of whom die from cancer or cirrhosis of the liver. Viral hepatitis spreads silently, affecting approximately 6,000 people every day. These infections are preventable and treatable, but their burden continues to grow, especially in areas with limited access to healthcare.
In 2025, 584 cases of parenteral viral hepatitis were registered in the Brest region, with an incidence rate of 45.2 per 100,000 population (493 cases or 37.7 per 100,000 population were registered in 2024). Chronic viral hepatitis C prevails in the nosological structure of parenteral hepatitis (64.0%), and 1 case of acute viral hepatitis C was registered among acute forms. In 2025, the leading route of transmission of parenteral viral hepatitis was sexual intercourse – 74.1%, 19.9% of the established causes were non-medical procedures (tattoos, piercings, manicures, pedicures performed outside specialized salons), contact-household transmission – 4.5%, and injection drug use – 1.5%.
Viral hepatitis A and E are usually transmitted through contaminated water or food and are closely associated with inadequate sanitation and poor personal hygiene (eg, unwashed hands).
In the Brest region, 18 cases of viral hepatitis A were registered in 2025, which amounted to 1.4 per 100 thousand population (in 2024, 73 cases or 5.8 per 100 thousand population), cases of viral hepatitis E were not registered.
Testing for hepatitis is the first step in preventing liver cancer. Most people infected with hepatitis are unaware of their infection. Early detection of the virus is the first step to receiving life-saving treatment and preventing liver cancer. Hepatitis testing, especially in high-risk groups, is essential for defeating the infection.
The chosen campaign theme emphasizes the need to streamline and widely implement comprehensive hepatitis control measures within national healthcare systems, including vaccination, safe injection practices, minimizing adverse effects on the liver, and, most importantly, diagnosis and treatment. That’s why, on July 28—World Hepatitis Day—healthcare workers around the world are holding educational campaigns to inform people about viral hepatitis and the diseases it causes. Preventive measures are also being implemented to detect the disease and provide vaccinations.
