Which hepatitis type is the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the U.S.?

• A. Hepatitis A
• B. Hepatitis B
• C. Hepatitis Types
• D. Hepatitis C (HCV)

Answer: (D)

Hepatitis C is the one you’d expect to persist as a long-term, chronic infection after exposure. This type often becomes chronic in the majority of people who are infected, and many individuals don't have noticeable symptoms for years, allowing the infection to silently progress to liver damage if not treated. The absence of a vaccine for hepatitis C means there isn’t a preventive shield to stop new chronic infections, which helps sustain a higher burden of chronic cases compared with other types.

Hepatitis A tends to be acute and self-limiting, so it doesn't contribute to chronic infections. Hepatitis B can become chronic, but thanks to vaccination and the way infection risk varies by age at exposure, the overall number of people living with chronic hepatitis B is smaller than those with chronic hepatitis C. The option labeled “Hepatitis Types” isn’t a distinct chronic-borne category, so it doesn’t fit the pattern of a specific hepatitis virus’s chronic course.