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Occult liver disease refers to the presence of unrecognized chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. Liver disease is currently the eleventh cause of death globally, representing 4% of all deaths in the world. Alcohol consumption is the leading cause of cirrhosis globally, accounting for approximately 60% of cases. The estimated global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is 32.4% and has been steadily increasing over the last years. Viral hepatitis B and C accounted for 1.3 million deaths in 2020. Several studies in populations at high risk of chronic liver disease (elevated liver enzymes, type 2 diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption) have found an elevated prevalence of occult liver disease. Attempts should be made to assess the prevalence of occult liver disease in Latin America, a region with one of the highest rates of metabolic diseases and excessive alcohol consumption. Screening for NAFLD in high-risk subjects and screening for excessive drinking and alcohol use disorders at every level of medical care is relevant. Efforts should also focus on the early treatment of occult liver disease to try to reduce liver disease burden and, in the case of occult viral hepatitis infection, prevent further spreading., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest Naga P. Chalasani: None for this paper. For full disclosure, Dr. Chalasani has consulting agreements with Madrigal, Zydus, GSK, Pfizer, Merck, Ipsen, and Altimmune. He receives research grant support from Exact Sciences. He serves on the Board of Avant Sante, LLC, a Contract Research Organization and has equity Interest. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Fundación Clínica Médica Sur, A.C. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)