On July 28,  World Hepatitis Day will be observed worldwide. The day is marked to increase the awareness and under standing of viral hepatitis and the diseases that is causes.
 Our cover story this week is on Hepatitis, which commonly results from a virus. Hepatitis is inflamation of the liver from any cause. Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E can cause acute and chronic infection and inflamation of the liver leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. These viruses constitute a major global health risk with around 240 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B and around 150 million people chronically infected with hepatitis C.
Less commonly hepatitis results from other viral infections such as infectious mononucleosis, yellow fever, and cytomegalovirus infection. The major non-viral cause of hepatitis is alcohol and drugs. Hepatitis can be acute or chronic; it occurs throughout the world.
People with unusually severe acute hepatitis may require hospitalisation, but in most cases treatment is not necessary.
The World Hepatitis day campaign focuses on raising awareness of the different forms of hepatitis: what they are, how they are transmitted; who is at risk; and the various methods of prevention and treatment.
Despite its staggering toll on health, hepatitis remains a group of diseases that are largely unknown, undiagnosed and untreated.