Enhanced surveillance of hepatitis B in the EU, 2006-2012

• Published in: Journal of viral hepatitis Vol. 22; no. 7; pp. 581 - 589
• Main Authors: Duffell, E. F., van de Laar, M. J. W., Amato-Gauci, A. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2015; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnostic Tests, Routine - methods; Disease Notification - methods; Disease Transmission, Infectious - prevention & control; Epidemiological Monitoring; epidemiology; Europe; Europe - epidemiology; European Union; Female; Health Policy; hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - epidemiology; Hepatitis B - prevention & control; Hepatitis B - transmission; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; surveillance; Vaccination - methods; Young Adult; Europe; epidemiology; surveillance; hepatitis B; Europe
• ISSN: 1352-0504; 1365-2893
• DOI: 10.1111/jvh.12364

Summary Robust epidemiological information on hepatitis B is important to help countries plan prevention and control programmes and evaluate public health responses to control transmission. European Centre Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) introduced enhanced surveillance of hepatitis B at EU/EEA level in 2011 to collate routine surveillance data from national notification systems. Analysis of the data collected for the years 2006–2012 shows a high burden of hepatitis B across Europe with 110 005 cases reported over the period with the majority of these cases being chronic infections. The most commonly reported routes of transmission in acute cases included heterosexual transmission, nosocomial transmission, injecting drug use and transmission among men who have sex with men. Mother‐to‐child transmission was the most common route reported for chronic cases. Trends over time were difficult to analyse as national reporting practices changed, but data suggest a downward trend in acute cases, which probably reflects the impact of the widespread implementation of vaccination programmes. Notifications of chronic infection varied across countries and showed discrepancy with the expected results based on findings from recent prevalence surveys. This indicated that notifications mirror local testing practices rather than real occurrence of disease. Improving the quality of the data and considering reported notifications alongside other data sources, such as local screening practices and vaccination policies, will improve the utility of the data.