Acute Hepatitis B--China,2005−2019

Introduction:Hepatitis B is a major public health threat in China.Detailed subtyping of acute hepatitis B(AHB)has been reported to China’s National Notifiable Disease Reporting System(NNDRS)since 2005.We divided the years since NNDRS reporting started into three stages:a“primary stage”(2005−2008),a“catch-up stage”(2009−2012),and an“AHB surveillance pilot stage”(2013−2019).We evaluated characteristics of AHB and progress towards AHB control in these three stages.Methods:We obtained data on cases reported to NNDRS between January 1,2005 and December 31,2019 and compared the annual incidence of reported AHB in each of the three stages by region,age,and gender.Results:The incidence of reported AHB declined from 7.52 per 100,000 in 2005 to 3.21 per 100,000 in 2019—a decrease of 57.31%.The annual incidences of AHB in the primary stage,the catch-up stage,and the AHB surveillance pilot stage were 7.45 per 100,000,5.78 per 100,000,and 4.26 per 100,000,respectively;7 provincial-level administrative divisions(PLADs)had an annual incidence of more than 10 per 100,000 in the primary stage,5 PLADs in the catch-up stage,and 1 in the AHB surveillance pilot stage.The group aged 20−29 years old had the highest annual rate of reported AHB in the primary stage(14.35 per 100,000)and in the catch-up stage(10.42 per 100,000),and the group aged 30−39 years old had the highest annual rate in the surveillance pilot stage(5.89 per 100,000).AHB affected males and females in all age groups.Conclusions and Implications for Public Health Practice:The incidence of AHB had decreased significantly since the start of the NNDRS reporting in 2005,but additional action is needed to eliminate AHB in China.Hepatitis B vaccine(HepB)coverage in adults should be increased to reduce new AHB cases among people over 20 years old,epidemiological investigations of AHB cases should be conducted to identify risk factors for infection,and prevention of mother-to-child transmission needs to be strengthened.