title: Overview of hepatitis B prevalence, prevention, and management in the Pacific Islands and Territories.
abstract: There are over 500-750 000 deaths per year because of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis and liver cancer worldwide and the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region has some of the highest endemic levels of HBV in the world, particularly within China, South East Asia and Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT). The PICT have unique ethnic diversity and a very high prevalence of smoking and metabolic syndrome, both important risk factors for liver fibrosis and liver cancer. However, in contrast to many Asian countries, there is little published data on HBV prevalence and related liver disease burden in PICT. In this review, the available published literature and World Health Organization data for HBV prevalence and related liver disease and liver cancer burden in PICT is outlined, and unmet needs for improving HBV prevention and control in the region are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; Department of Hepatology, St. Mary's Hospital, London, UK; The Macfarlane-Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Gemert
authors.forename: Maud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lemoine
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thursz
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hellard
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Melanesian; Micronesian; Pacific Islands; Polynesian; cirrhosis; hepatocellular carcinoma; liver cancer; liver disease; viral hepatitis