WHO Classified Hepatitis D as Carcinogenic

• 08 Aug 2025

Source: IE

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reclassified Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) as carcinogenic. 

Hepatitis 

• About: It is a liver inflammation from viral infections, autoimmune disorders, alcohol/drug toxicity. It can be acute or chronic, leading to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer. 
• Symptoms: Often asymptomatic initially, later fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, dark urine, pale stools, joint pain, jaundice. 
• Causes: Hepatotropic viruses (A, B, C, D, E), others like Varicella, SARS-CoV-2 & non-viral causes such as alcohol, drugs, autoimmune hepatitis, fatty liver. 
• Prevalence:  In 2022, WHO reported 254 million hepatitis B cases, 50 million hepatitis C cases, and 1.3 million deaths, with half of chronic cases in those aged 30–54. 
• Hepatitis D: It is a defective virus that depends on the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) for infection and replication.  
  • Risk: Causes co-infection or superinfection with HBV, increasing risk of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer) by 2–6 times compared to HBV alone. 
  • Prevalence: Low but likely underreported in India, especially among intravenous drug users and chronic HBV patients. 
  • Diagnosis,Treatment & Prevention: Diagnosis relies on the HDV-RNA test, with limited treatment options, though new drugs like bulevirtide show promise. 
    • Prevention depends on universal Hepatitis B vaccination, which has about 50% coverage in India.  
    • Key measures include safe blood transfusions, needle safety, safe sexual contact, and screening high-risk groups. 
• Key Initiatives: 
  • WHO’s 2022–2030 Strategy:  Reduce new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65% from 2015 levels, targeting 520,000 cases and 450,000 deaths annually by 2030. 
  • National Viral Hepatitis Control Program: Eliminate viral hepatitis from India by 2030. 
  • National Viral Hepatitis Control Program. 
  • India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). 
  • World Hepatitis Day. 

Read More: Global Hepatitis Report 2024,  World Hepatitis Day