Mortality from Hepatitis C Virus Infection Is Rising in the U.S.

An estimated 800,000 to 1.4 million people in the U.S. have chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and about 3 million are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The incidences of both infections have declined in recent years, but what about mortality related to these infections? Researchers have now examined 22 million death certificates, issued from 1999 through 2007, to track trends in mortality attributed to HBV and HCV (and, for comparison, HIV).

In 2007, the underlying cause of death listed on the certificates was highest for HIV (11,332 deaths), followed by HCV (6605 deaths) and HBV (724 deaths). However, age-adjusted mortality trends from 1999 through 2007 showed that mortality secondary to HBV remained relatively con…