Recent Developments in Applied Microbiology and Biochemistry: Chapter 5 - The hidden risk of health-care-associated hepatitis C virus infection: Scenarios, past, present, and future

Viral hepatitis is caused by a virus that can be either acute or chronic (more than 6 months in duration) and can spread from individual to individual. Some forms of viral hepatitis can spread via intercourse. It is a major global public health problem that affects millions of people and is attributed to drastic morbidity and mortality. Five biologically unrelated hepatotropic viruses are responsible for the greater part of the global viral hepatitis burden: hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), and hepatitis E virus (HEV). Most deaths from viral hepatitis are due to HBV and HCV. The World Health Organization, by setting a target of 90% reduction in new HBV and HCV infections by 2030, has set an ambitious goal to eradicate viral hepatitis. To do this, a change in emphasis from the existing focus on individuals to coordinated public health is needed to interrupt transmission. In this chapter, we focused on the hidden risk of HCV-associated health-care infection and its history, current, and future scenarios.