,,iv  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #eje  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,july #ah1 #bjai,ms4  
,m5g 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,johnson (        
,georgia7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy &
 ,comm]ce  ,,resolution  ,recogniz+     
,july #bh1 #bjai1 z ,_w ,hepatitis ,day4
  ,:]eas hepatitis ,b & hepatitis ,c1 & 
! incid5ce ( liv] disease caus$ by ^!   
viruses1 h become urg5t problems (      
global proportion2 ,:]eas an e/imat$    
#a1cdj1jjj p worldwide die ea* ye> due  
to hepatitis2 ,:]eas an e/imat$         
#beg1jjj1jjj p worldwide live ) *ronic  
hepatitis ,b1 & an e/imat$ #hhd1jjj p   
worldwide die ea* ye> mo/ly due to a    
liv]-relat$ illness caus$ by hepatitis  
,b2 ,:]eas an e/imat$ #ga1jjj1jjj p     
worldwide are *ronically infect$ )      
hepatitis ,c1 & an e/imat$ #cii1jjj p   
worldwide die ea* ye> due to a          
liv]-relat$ illness caus$ by hepatitis  
,c2 ,:]eas 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 up to an  
e/imat$ #e1gjj1jjj p are infect$ ) ei!r 

hepatitis ,b or hepatitis ,c1 includ+ up
 to an e/imat$ #b1bjj1jjj *ronically    
infect$ ) hepatitis ,b & up to an       
e/imat$ #c1ejj1jjj *ronically infect$ ) 
hepatitis ,c2 ,:]eas ! ,c5t]s = ,disease
 ,control & ,prev5tion 7,,cdc7 e/imat$ t
 !re 7 #bj1ijj new acute hepatitis ,b   
infections & #da1bjj new acute hepatitis
 ,c infections 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9      
#bjaf2 ,:]eas ! ,,cdc has f\nd          
significant increases 9 ! transmission (
 new hepatitis cases 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates  
s9ce #bjaj1 includ+ a #c4e-;fold        
increase betwe5 #bjaj & #bjaf 9 report$ 
cases ( acute hepatitis ,c 9 ! ,unit$   
,/ates2 ,:]eas *ronic viral hepatitis   
claims ?\s&s ( lives ea* ye> 9 ! ,unit$ 
,/ates1 ) an e/imat$ #ah1aec dea?s due  
to hepatitis ,c 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9     
#bjaf2 ,:]eas betwe5 #bjae & #bjbj1     
,unit$ ,/ates taxpay]s w sp5d an e/imat$
 #acf1jjj1jjj1jjj on hepatitis ,c drugs 
& approximately #de p]c5t ( :i* w come f
 ! ,gov]nm5t2 ,:]eas up to an e/imat$   
#hj p]c5t ( p ) acute hepatitis ,c d n h

 any symptoms2 ,:]eas ,african          
,am]icans1 ,asian ,am]icans1 ,pacific   
,isl&]s1 ,lat9os1 ,native ,am]icans1    
,alaska ,natives1 gay & bisexual m51 &  
p]sons :o inject drugs intrav5\sly all h
 high] rates ( *ronic viral hepatitis   
infections 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ?an o!r    
gr\ps ( p2 ,:]eas ,asian ,am]icans &    
,pacific ,isl&]s be> ! greate/ burd5 (  
hepatitis ,b-relat$ dea?s 9 ! ,unit$    
,/ates2 ,:]eas hepatitis ,c is #aj times
 m infecti\s ?an human immunodefici5cy  
virus 7,,hiv72 ,:]eas hepatitis ,b is   
#ej to #ajj times m infecti\s ?an ,,hiv2
 ,:]eas an e/imat$ #cc p]c5t ( p :o live
 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & are infect$ ) ,,hiv
 are also infect$ ) hepatitis ,b or ,c2 
,:]eas life expectancies = p]sons       
infect$ ) ,,hiv h increas$ )            
antiretroviral treatm5t1 & liv] disease1
 mu* ( :i* is relat$ to hepatitis ,b &  
hepatitis ,c infections1 has become !   
mo/ common cause ( dea? among ?is       
population t is n relat$ to acquir$     
immune defici5cy syndrome2 ,:]eas       

despite ! fact t *ronic viral hepatitis 
is ! mo/ common blood-borne infection 9 
! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ov] half ( p liv+ )    
hepatitis ,b & hepatitis ,c are unaw>e (
 _! infection2 ,:]eas hepatitis ,b is   
prev5table ?r\gh vacc9ation1 & bo?      
hepatitis ,b & hepatitis ,c are         
prev5table ) prop] public heal?         
int]v5tions1 includ+ programs t (f]     
access to /]ile injection equipm5t = p  
:o inject drugs intrav5\sly2 & ,:]eas ! 
goals ( ,_w ,hepatitis ,day on ,july    
#bh1 #bjai1 are to-- 7#a7 highlight !   
global nature ( *ronic viral hepatitis  
epidemics2  7#b7 recognize t hepatitis c
 be prev5t$ & elim9at$ 9 "p ?r\gh a     
compreh5sive public education & aw>5ess 
campaign design$ to id5tify ^? at risk  
=1 & liv+ )1 hepatitis2  7#c7 in=m      
pati5ts ab\t new treatm5ts t are        
available = hepatitis2 &  7#d7 help     
increase ! l5g? & quality ( life = p    
diagnos$ ) *ronic hepatitis ,b &        
hepatitis ,c infections3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be 
x  ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives-- 7#a7  

supports broad access to hepatitis ,b & 
hepatitis ,c treatm5ts2  7#b7 supports  
rais+ aw>5ess ( ! risks & consequ5ces ( 
undiagnos$ *ronic hepatitis ,b &        
hepatitis ,c infections2  7#c7 calls = a
 robu/ gov]nm5tal & public heal?        
response to protect ! heal? ( !         
approximately #e1gjj1jjj p 9 ! ,unit$   
,/ates :o are infect$ ) hepatitis ,b or 
,c2 &  7#d7 urges ! ,c5t]s = ,disease   
,control & ,prev5tion to p>tn] ) ,/ate &
 local heal? dep>tm5ts to develop       
/rategies to increase ! rate ( hepatitis
 ,b adult vacc9ation & hepatitis ,c     
treatm5t to ! levels necess>y to        
elim9ate new infections 9 ! ,unit$      
,/ates4