title: Viral hepatitis: Indian scenario.
abstract: Viral hepatitis is a cause for major health care burden in India and is now equated as a threat comparable to the "big three" communicable diseases - HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Hepatitis A virus and Hepatitis E virus are predominantly enterically transmitted pathogens and are responsible to cause both sporadic infections and epidemics of acute viral hepatitis. Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis C virus are predominantly spread via parenteral route and are notorious to cause chronic hepatitis which can lead to grave complications including cirrhosis of liver and hepatocellular carcinoma. Around 400 million people all over the world suffer from chronic hepatitis and the Asia-Pacific region constitutes the epicentre of this epidemic. The present article would aim to cover the basic virologic aspects of these viruses and highlight the present scenario of viral hepatitis in India.
authors.affiliation: Senior Resident (Hepatology), Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satsangi
authors.affiliation: Director, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.
authors.forename: Yogesh K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Chawla
keywords: Health care burden; Indian scenario; Viral hepatitis