Viral hepatitis affects an estimated 325 million people worldwide, with an additional 290 million people unaware that they are living with the disease, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis causes severe inflammation of the liver, a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood and fights infections. Approximately 1.2 million people die from either hepatitis B or hepatitis C per year, primarily from cancer caused by damage to the liver.