Volume 34, Issue 1 pp. 40-48
Solicited Review

Aiming for the elimination of viral hepatitis in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands and Territories: Where are we now and barriers to meeting World Health Organization targets by 2030

Jess Howell

Corresponding Author

Jess Howell

Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Department of Gastroenterology, St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Jess Howell and Alisa Pedrana shared first author with equal contribution to the manuscript.

Correspondence

Jessica Howell, Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia.

Email: [email protected]

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Alisa Pedrana

Alisa Pedrana

Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Jess Howell and Alisa Pedrana shared first author with equal contribution to the manuscript.Search for more papers by this author
Benjamin C Cowie

Benjamin C Cowie

Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Joseph Doyle

Joseph Doyle

Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Aneley Getahun

Aneley Getahun

School of Public Health and Primary Care, Fiji National University, Suva, Fiji

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James Ward

James Ward

Head Aboriginal Health, Infection and Immunity, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Matthew Flinders Fellow, Flinders University Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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Ed Gane

Ed Gane

New Zealand Liver Transplant Unit, Auckland City Hospital, and Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

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Chris Cunningham

Chris Cunningham

Research Centre for Maõri Health and Development, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

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Jack Wallace

Jack Wallace

Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Alice Lee

Alice Lee

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia

Hepatitis B Free, Australia

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Jioji Malani

Jioji Malani

School of Public Health and Primary Care, Fiji National University, Suva, Fiji

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Alex Thompson

Alex Thompson

Department of Gastroenterology, St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Alex Thompson and Margaret E Hellard shared final author with equal supervision of the manuscript.Search for more papers by this author
Margaret E Hellard

Margaret E Hellard

Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Alex Thompson and Margaret E Hellard shared final author with equal supervision of the manuscript.Search for more papers by this author
First published: 27 August 2018
Citations: 42
[Correction added on 18 October 2018, after first online publication: The author name listed as “Aneley Getehun” has been corrected to “Aneley Getahun”.]

Abstract

Viral hepatitis affects more than 320 million people globally, leading to significant morbidity and mortality due to liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). More than 248 million people (3.2% globally) are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), and an estimated 80 million people (1.1% globally) are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). In 2015, more than 700 000 deaths were directly attributable to HBV, and nearly 500 000 deaths were attributable to HCV infection; 2–5% of HBV-infected people develop HCC per annum irrespective of the presence of cirrhosis, whereas 1–5% HCV-infected people with advanced fibrosis develop HCC per annum. The rapidly escalating global mortality related to HBV and HCV related viral hepatitis to be the 7th leading cause of death worldwide in 2013, from 10th leading cause in 1990. Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island Countries and Territories fall within the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region, which has a high prevalence of viral hepatitis and related morbidity, particularly HBV. Remarkably, in this region, HBV-related mortality is greater than for tuberculosis, HIV infection, and malaria combined. The region provides a unique contrast in viral hepatitis prevalence, health system resources, and approaches taken to achieve World Health Organization global elimination targets for HBV and HCV infection. This review highlights the latest evidence in viral hepatitis epidemiology and explores the health resources available to combat viral hepatitis, focusing on the major challenges and critical needs to achieve elimination in Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island Countries and Territories.

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