Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B at Lowest Levels Ever Reported

The three most common forms of acute viral hepatitis in the United States – hepatitis A, B and C – declined dramatically between 1995 and 2005, with hepatitis A and B at the lowest levels ever recorded since the government began collecting surveillance data more than 40 years ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the declines, more than 100,000 new cases of viral hepatitis were reported in 2005. “Although the declines in acute viral hepatitis are promising, the number of new infections remains high particularly among unvaccinated adults,” said Dr. John Ward, director of CDC’s division of viral hepatitis. “By vaccinating infants against hepatitis B, we have made great progress in reducing infections in children.