Did you know? Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by viral infection. There are five main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. Every 30 seconds, a person dies from a viral hepatitis related illness. The disease can affect anyone, but it has a disproportionate effect on the people and communities most underserved by health systems. Chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C are life-threatening infectious diseases that cause serious liver damage, cancer, and premature death, and other extrahepatic manifestations including diabetes, skin rash, arthritis, and renal failure. However, often infections are silent and do not manifest until it has progressed to the stage of primary liver cancer. Globally, 354 million people are living with the hepatitis B or C virus.