Hepatitis C follows the most lethal among viral and most cases is recorded among men; There were 342,328 cases in the country in 24 years
Brazil has recorded a significant drop in mortality for viral hepatitis in the last decade. According to the DO, released on Tuesday (8.Jul.2025), deaths caused by hepatitis B fell 50%, while those by hepatitis C retreated 60% from 2014 to 2024. Read A of the report (PDF – 2 MB).
In the period, the type B mortality coefficient went from 0.2 to 0.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. In the case of type C, the rate fell from 1.0 to 0.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2024, the country recorded 11,166 cases of hepatitis B and 19,343 of hepatitis C.
According to the Ministry of Health, the drop in mortality by hepatitis C was due to the use of direct action antivirals (DAA). These drugs, which block virus replication, have a cure rates of over 95% in 12 to 24 weeks. The reduction in mortality by hepatitis B was attributed to the expansion of vaccination coverage.
Among children under 10 years, cases of hepatitis were 99.9%. Vertical transmission of hepatitis B (from mother to child) also dropped: there was a 55% reduction in detecting the disease in pregnant women and 38% in cases in children under 5 years.
From 2000 to 2024, they were confirmed 826,292 cases of viral hepatitis in Brazilaccording to the Sinan (notification injury information system), being:
- C: 41,5%;
- B: 36,6%;
- A: 21,2%;
- D (or Delta): 0.6%;
- E: 0,1%.
The geographical distribution of infections varied according to the virus type. The Northeast concentrated most cases of hepatitis A (29.2%), while the highest proportion of cases of hepatitis B and C was recorded in the Southeast (34.0%and 57.7%, respectively). The northern region presented most cases of hepatitis D (72.4%).
Hepatite and
It is mainly transmitted through water and contaminated foods, as well as direct contact with infected people.
The incidence rate of hepatitis A in Brazil was 1.7 case per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024, which represents a 54.5% increase compared to 2023, when the index was 1.1. From 2000 to 2024, the country recorded 174,977 confirmed cases of the disease, the equivalent of 21.2% of the total infections by viral hepatitis in the period.
Nine Brazilian capitals recorded, in 2024, hepatitis incidence rates above the national average. The highest rates were observed in Curitiba (31.3), Campo Grande (17.2), Florianópolis (13.5), Porto Alegre (8.6), Belo Horizonte (7.2), Rio de Janeiro (5.6), Sao Paulo (5.2), Brasilia (2.8) and Recife (1.9).
Hepatite b
It is mainly transmitted by contact with blood, semen or other contaminated body fluids. It can occur in unprotected sex and sharing of sharp objects (such as needles, pliers, blades).
From 2000 to 2024, 21,065 deaths associated with hepatitis B were recorded, 51.9% with the disease as a basic cause. The highest concentration of deaths was in the Southeast region (43.6%). As with hepatitis C, most cases of hepatitis B were recorded in men (55%). The number of confirmed cases of the disease in the period was 302,351.
Hepatitis C
It is mainly transmitted by contact with contaminated blood. Unlike hepatitis A and B, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, so prevention is critical.
Hepatitis C was responsible for 72,242 associated deaths in Brazil from 2000 to 2024. Of these, more than half (51.6%) had the disease as a basic cause. Most were in the Southeast (55.8%), followed by the South (23.5%) and Northeast (11.1%). The number of cases confirmed in the period was 342,328.
Men represented most cases (57.2%). Among the cases with known origin, drug use accounted for 10.4%of infections, followed by other forms (10%), sexual transmission (9.4%) and blood transfusion (8.4%). The probable origin of the infection was not informed in 60.3% of the records.
DIAGNOSIS
Hepatitis testing is free in SUS and can be done by rapid or laboratory tests as indicated. The search for diagnosis should be done at least once by people over 20.
