Elimination of Hepatitis B in Highly Endemic Settings: Lessons Learned in Taiwan and Challenges Ahead
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. The...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/8/815 |
| _version_ | 1797561040634904576 |
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| author | Chun-Jen Liu Pei-Jer Chen |
| author_facet | Chun-Jen Liu Pei-Jer Chen |
| author_sort | Chun-Jen Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:08:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-088941b516564a80a5716a708d29a54e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:08:43Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-088941b516564a80a5716a708d29a54e2023-11-20T08:14:23ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152020-07-0112881510.3390/v12080815Elimination of Hepatitis B in Highly Endemic Settings: Lessons Learned in Taiwan and Challenges AheadChun-Jen Liu0Pei-Jer Chen1Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, TaiwanDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, TaiwanHepatitis 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.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/8/815hepatitis B viruseliminationHBsAg clearancevaccinationtreatment |
| spellingShingle | Chun-Jen Liu Pei-Jer Chen Elimination of Hepatitis B in Highly Endemic Settings: Lessons Learned in Taiwan and Challenges Ahead Viruses hepatitis B virus elimination HBsAg clearance vaccination treatment |
| title | Elimination of Hepatitis B in Highly Endemic Settings: Lessons Learned in Taiwan and Challenges Ahead |
| title_full | Elimination of Hepatitis B in Highly Endemic Settings: Lessons Learned in Taiwan and Challenges Ahead |
| title_fullStr | Elimination of Hepatitis B in Highly Endemic Settings: Lessons Learned in Taiwan and Challenges Ahead |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elimination of Hepatitis B in Highly Endemic Settings: Lessons Learned in Taiwan and Challenges Ahead |
| title_short | Elimination of Hepatitis B in Highly Endemic Settings: Lessons Learned in Taiwan and Challenges Ahead |
| title_sort | elimination of hepatitis b in highly endemic settings lessons learned in taiwan and challenges ahead |
| topic | hepatitis B virus elimination HBsAg clearance vaccination treatment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/8/815 |
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