Death toll from Hepatitis B: Figures and additional insights
The world continues to grapple with the significant burden of hepatitis B infection, with an estimated 254 million people living with chronic hepatitis B as of 2022 [1][5]. This virus, responsible for approximately 1.1 million deaths in 2022 [1][5], primarily due to complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, poses a major health challenge.
Risk factors for hepatitis B include transmission from mother to child at birth or during delivery, early childhood infection, contact with infected blood or other body fluids, and unsafe injections or exposure to sharp instruments [5]. The risk of developing chronic hepatitis B is highly age-dependent; about 95% of infections acquired during infancy or early childhood become chronic, while under 5% of adult infections do so, highlighting the importance of infancy vaccination.
Prevention methods focus primarily on vaccination and other public health measures. The World Health Organization recommends a three-dose hepatitis B vaccine series for infants, with the first dose given soon after birth. This vaccination offers nearly 100% protection and "locks in" long-term immunity after the third dose. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission, universal coverage of safe injection practices, and increased screening and diagnosis are also crucial [1][2][5].
Globally, hepatitis B and C cause significant mortality; in the EU/EEA region alone, about 15,000 deaths annually are related to hepatitis B. Chronic hepatitis B is linked to roughly 1.1 million deaths annually worldwide, mostly due to liver complications [1][3][4][5]. Economic losses from hepatitis B-related mortality and morbidity are estimated at $784 billion in lost productivity between 2022 and 2050 without increased prevention and treatment coverage. Scaling vaccination coverage to 90% and treatment to 80% could avert 26 million infections and 9 million deaths from hepatitis B between 2022 and 2050 [1][3][4][5].
To combat this global health challenge, it's essential to reduce HBV-related deaths. By 2025, there needs to be a further reduction of HBV-related deaths to decrease the mortality rates from 0.42 to 0.37 deaths per 100,000 population.
Prevention is key to reducing the impact of hepatitis B. To prevent HBV infection, a person can wear appropriate protective equipment, not share needles, use condoms or other barrier methods during sex, and clean any blood spills or dried blood with gloved hands. There are safe and effective vaccines that can prevent HBV and reduce the risk of complications.
In addition, improvements in testing, especially point-of-care testing and national hepatitis registries, help monitor progress towards elimination goals. Novel treatments, such as RNA interference therapies, are advancing in clinical trials, offering hope for better management of chronic hepatitis B.
Regions with the highest prevalence include Indonesia (17.5 million), Nigeria (14.4 million), and the Philippines (5.7 million) [2]. It's crucial to implement measures such as increasing access to testing, telemedicine, and research to improve access, screening, and preventive care for HBV.
In conclusion, hepatitis B remains a major global health challenge with a high burden of chronic infection and mortality, primarily through liver disease and cancer. Effective vaccination, especially in infancy, safe medical practices, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, broader testing, and access to treatment are key prevention strategies reducing infection rates and deaths globally.
- The significance of hepatitis B contextualizes within the medical-conditions and chronic-diseases spectrum, affecting an estimated 254 million people worldwide as of 2022.
- Retargeting our focus on prevention is key to reducing the impact of hepatitis B, with strategies ranging from vaccination to safe medical practices and improved access to testing.
- Hepatitis B-related mortality is primarily due to complications such as liver cancer and cirrhosis, making liver health a primary concern in the fight against this disease.
- Hepatitis other than C causes approximately 1.1 million deaths annually, necessitating ongoing research and advancements in treatment, such as RNA interference therapies in clinical trials.
- Paxlovid, or antiviral medications, have the potential to revolutionize the management of chronic hepatitis B, offering hope for those battling this chronic disease.
- Science continues to play a crucial role in the development of novel treatments and strategies for hepatitis B, with fitness-and-exercise, mental-health, skin-care, nutrition, and cardiovascular-health also impacting overall health and wellness.
- Alcohol use, as a risk factor for hepatitis B, necessitates education and awareness campaigns to minimize its influence on the disease's spread and complications.
- In the context of global health-and-wellness, hepatitis B poses a major challenge, with an estimated $784 billion in economic losses from related mortality and morbidity between 2022 and 2050.
- Collaborative efforts among medical professionals, governments, and non-governmental organizations are essential in scaling vaccination coverage to 90%, treatment to 80%, and ultimately, achieving elimination goals for hepatitis B.
