The discovery of viral hepatitis: a military perspective

Viral hepatitis is one of the most common infectious diseases and over the years the jaundice associated with it has been known by many names. Several viruses are now known to cause hepatitis in humans, but sixty years ago, these viruses were unknown. In the years before and during the Second World War, there emerged a significant understanding of the clinical and epidemiological nature of the disease due to the dedicated efforts of doctors and scientists around the world. By the end of the war years, the discrete entities of Hepatitis A and B had been identified and preventative measures were proving to be effective. However, the bane of viral hepatitis was far from being resolved.