New Delhi, July 28 -- Most people associate liver disease with visible symptoms like jaundice or severe abdominal pain. However, Hepatitis B doesn't usually announce its presence so clearly. Many people in India may have Hepatitis B without knowing it. India has the second-highest number of cases of this virus in the world. About 40 to 50 million people in India are chronic carriers of it. Left undetected, the infection can silently damage the liver over years and eventually lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer.

Why is hepatitis B called a silent infection?

During this silent phase, the virus continues to cause chronic inflammation and gradual scarring of the liver. "By the time symptoms such as jaundice, persistent fatigue...