Those living with the virus are over-represented in Australia's ethnic and Indigenous communities, making them a focus of efforts to help eradicate the disease.
Lien Tran was diagnosed with hepatitis B 14 years ago and, nowadays, monitors her condition through a yearly blood test.
But, the Melbourne woman says, many living with the virus are simply unaware of what treatments are available.
"They do not know there are ways to monitor so you can live a normal life, a healthy life, with hepatitis B. And they just don't know it."
Education and awareness have been key themes of a summit in Melbourne of doctors and health professionals.
Dr Benjamin Cowie, from the Centre for Viral Hepatitis, was one of those attending.
"Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer, which is the fastest-increasing cause of cancer death Australia-wide, so we have to do better at getting people into treatment and care."
About 350 million people around the world live with viral hepatitis, including almost half a million in Australia.
But migrant and Indigenous communities are seriously over-represented.
An estimated 220,000 Australians are believed to be living with chronic hepatitis C infection, and 230,000 are living with chronic hepatitis B.
Of those, 38 per cent were born in the Asia-Pacific region, and more than 9 per cent are Indigenous Australians.
Dr Cowie says engaging and educating the communities is crucial.
"We now have cures, very effective cures, for hepatitis C, which can get rid of the infection in 12 weeks in up to 90 per cent of people. And we've got very effective treatments that control hepatitis B."
A refugee-health researcher at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Dr Kudzai Kanhutu, says responsibility also lies with individuals in accessing the services.
"If you've managed to migrate here, or come here as a refugee, you've sort of self-declared as someone who is incredibly resilient. And there are resources within the community."
Aboriginal community advocate Peter Waples-Crowe says the stigma around links to injecting drugs can prevent some in Aboriginal communities from seeking help.
"We just want people to start breaking down that stigma and shame around it and access treatment, because they're so good now. So the message is, if you've got hepatitis or you've ever injected drugs or you think you might be at risk, go and see a doctor or a GP and get the test."
