2020 Webinar: Current and Future Disease Burden of HBV: Global and Regional Perspectives-Current and Future Disease Burden of HBV: Global and Regional Perspectives

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The ASLD-HBV-Sick webinar focused on the current and future disease burden of Hepatitis B (HBV) from global and regional perspectives, with a special tribute to Professor Din-Hsin Chen. Experts from different continents presented the local and regional status of HBV disease burden and treatment strategies. <br /><br />In Africa, HBV remains a significant health problem, with 70% of chronic HBV infections residing in Africa and the Western Pacific region. High endemicity is observed, especially in rural areas and among men. Prevention and treatment strategies, including vaccination and prevention of mother-to-child transmission, are crucial. <br /><br />In East Asia, HBV prevalence has been historically low in countries like Japan and South Korea due to successful vaccination programs. However, there are still challenges in achieving the World Health Organization's elimination targets, especially in China and Mongolia, where high prevalence and transmission modes are observed.<br /><br />In South Asia, HBV burden remains a major health problem, with India and Pakistan having intermediate prevalence rates. There is a need for improved diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies to reduce the burden of disease, especially among immigrant populations.<br /><br />In Europe, HBV prevalence varies across countries, with low prevalence in Western and Northern Europe and higher prevalence in Eastern and Southern Europe. Improvements are needed to achieve the WHO elimination targets, including better prevention and treatment coverage, especially in migrant populations.<br /><br />In North America, although considered low endemic, HBV still has a significant impact due to global migration patterns. Estimates suggest that up to 2.5 million people may be living with HBV in the US, with similar challenges in Canada. Improved diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination programs are needed to address the burden of disease.<br /><br />In South and Central America, the impact of HBV is significant, with an estimated 6 million people infected. Prevalence rates vary across countries and population groups, with the Amazonian basin having particularly high prevalence rates among indigenous populations. Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies need to be strengthened to address the disease burden in these regions.<br /><br />Overall, the webinar highlighted the need for comprehensive strategies to prevent, diagnose, and treat HBV, including universal vaccination, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and improved access to diagnostic tests and antiviral treatment. Collaboration between scientific societies, healthcare authorities, and patient advocacy groups is crucial in achieving the WHO's HBV elimination targets.

Asset Caption

Moderators: Mindie H. Nguyen, MD, MAS, AGAF, FAASLD and Harry Janssen, MD, PhD, FAASLD
Presenters: Mark W. Sonderup, MBChB, Jidong Jia, MD, PhD, Shiv K. Sarin, MD, FAASLD, George V. Papatheodoridis, MD, PhD, FAASLD, Carla S. Coffin, MD, MSC and Adrián C. Gadano, MD

Keywords

ASLD-HBV-Sick webinar

Hepatitis B

disease burden

global perspective

regional perspective

treatment strategies

prevention

vaccination

diagnosis

collaboration