Hepatitis B Vaccination Impact and the Unmet Need for Antiviral Treatment in Blantyre, Malawi.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hepatitis B is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. To reduce mortality, antiviral treatment programs are needed. We estimated prevalence, vaccine impact, and need for antiviral treatment in Blantyre, Malawi.

Methods

We conducted a household study in 2016-2018. We selected individuals from a census using random sampling and estimated age-sex-standardized hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence. Impact of infant hepatitis B vaccination was estimated by binomial log-linear regression comparing individuals born before and after vaccine implementation. In HBsAg-positive adults, eligibility for antiviral therapy was assessed.

Results

Of 97386 censused individuals, 6073 (median age 18 years; 56.7% female) were sampled.

SUBMITTER: Stockdale AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9470106 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature