Infection, caused by a virus transmitted mainly by oral-fecal, has mainly affected adults, with 69% of cases occurring in men
It recently released an alarming survey that reveals a significant increase in the cases of A in Brazil. According to the data presented, there was a 54% growth in the diagnoses of the disease between 2023 and 2024. In 2024, 1.7 cases were recorded per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 1.1 cases in 2023. Since 2000, more than 174,000 cases of hepatitis A were reported in the country. The infection, caused by a virus transmitted mainly oral-fecal, has mainly affected adults, with 69% of cases occurring in men. In contrast, the incidence of the disease in children has dropped 99.9% in recent years. The Ministry of Health observes a change in the contamination profile, attributing the increase of cases among adults to the lack of condom use during sex. In response to this situation, the ministry is promoting the campaign “a test can change everything”, which aims to encourage testing and early diagnosis, especially for hepatitis B and C.
Over the past ten years, Brazil has been able to reduce hepatitis B deaths by 50% and 60% by hepatitis C, approaching the World Health Organization’s goals, which foresees a 65% reduction in deaths from these diseases by 2030. The campaign, released during the month of awareness “Yellow July”, highlights the importance of early testing and immediate treatment to control the dissemination of viral hepatitis. The Ministry of Health emphasizes the need to expand access to diagnosis and treatment, aiming to further reduce the incidence and mortality associated with these diseases.
