Elimination of hepatitis B in highly endemic settings: Lessons learned in Taiwan and challenges ahead
Journal
Viruses
Journal Volume
12
Journal Issue
8
Pages
815
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its related liver diseases are important health problems worldwide, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. For the past 4-5 decades, Taiwan's government and scientists have cooperated together to control this virus infection and its related liver diseases. These efforts and achievements have made progress toward the elimination of HBV. Taiwan's government initiated the Viral Hepatitis Control Program (VHCP) in the1970s, and then launched the national vaccination program in 1984. This universal vaccination program effectively decreased the rate of hepatitis B carriage and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the younger generation. Since 2003, approved anti-HBV treatments were reimbursed nationwide. This reimbursement program resulted in a higher uptake of anti-HBV treatments, which contributed to a decrease in liver-related disease progression and subsequently reduced attributable mortality in Taiwan. This experience can be shared by countries in other parts of the world regarding the control of chronic viral hepatitis B. ? 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
SDGs
Other Subjects
hepatitis B surface antigen; hepatitis B(e) antigen; hepatitis vaccine; active immunization; antiretroviral therapy; chemoprophylaxis; chronic hepatitis B; chronic kidney failure; end stage liver disease; health care cost; health insurance; hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus; hepatitis C; Hepatitis C virus; highly active antiretroviral therapy; immunization; immunosuppressive treatment; liver cell carcinoma; liver cirrhosis; liver disease; liver fibrosis; mortality; mother to child transmission; Review; sexual transmission; vaccination; virus load; chronic hepatitis B; disease eradication; female; human; infant; liver tumor; male; prevention and control; preventive health service; Taiwan; vertical transmission; virology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Disease Eradication; Female; Hepatitis B, Chronic; Humans; Immunization Programs; Infant; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Taiwan; Vaccination; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
Publisher
MDPI AG
Type
review