May is Hepatitis Awareness Month

The month of May is designated as Hepatitis Awareness Month in the United States, and May 19th is Hepatitis Testing Day. During May, CDC and our public health partners work to shed light on the impact of these hidden epidemics by raising awareness of viral hepatitis while encouraging testing and vaccination. Hepatitis Awareness Month activities help to improve everyone’s understanding of viral hepatitis transmission and risk factors and to decrease social stigma against viral hepatitis.

Viral Hepatitis Key Facts

• There are several different viruses that can cause hepatitis; the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.
• Chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C are leading causes of liver cancer in the United States.
• Both hepatitis A and hepatitis B are preventable with safe and effective vaccines, and hepatitis C is curable with prescribed treatment.
• CDC recommends all adults through age 59 and adults age 60 or older with risk factors get vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. If you are age 60 or older and do not have risk factors, you may choose to get vaccinated.
• About 66% of people with hepatitis B are unaware of their infection and about 40% of people living with hepatitis C do not know they are infected.
• CDC recommends all adults get tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C at least once in their lifetime and pregnant women get tested during each pregnancy. Getting tested is the only way to know if you have hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW): April 24 – 30, 2023

National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is a yearly observance highlighting the importance of protecting children two years and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that children stay on track with their well-child appointments and routine vaccinations. On-time vaccination is critical to provide protection against potentially life-threatening diseases.

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
  • COVID-19 has caused many disruptions in families’ lives – and in some cases, it has meant that children have missed or delayed their wellness checkups and vaccination, which are a critical part of ensuring children stay healthy.
  • Giving babies the recommended vaccinations by age two is the best way to protect them from 14 serious childhood diseases, like whooping cough (pertussis) and measles.
  • Among children born during 1994-2018, vaccination will prevent an estimated 419 million illnesses, 26.8 million hospitalizations, and 936,000 deaths over their lifetimes.

  National Infant Immunizations Week

  Immunization saves millions of lives and is one of the greatest and most successful public health initiatives. Regardless, more than 23 million infants worldwide have insufficient access to vaccines, which puts them at serious risk for potentially fatal disease.