Journal
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Volume 7, Issue 6, Pages 410-419Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(07)70136-6
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Infection with hepatitis B causes between 500 000 and 1 center dot 2 million deaths per year worldwide, and is the leading cause of liver cancer. Over 12 years ago, WHO recommended that universal childhood hepatitis B vaccination be implemented globally. Despite this, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands Norway, Sweden, and the UK have yet to implement such a policy and instead currently adopt an at-risk strategy. Although all eight countries are classed as having low endemicity, factors such as increased travel and integration of immigrant communities are increasing the number of at-risk individuals in these countries. Considering the difficulty in identifying all at-risk individuals, and the lack of effectiveness of at-risk vaccination on reducing the overall incidence of hepatitis B, we recommend that these countries reassess their hepatitis B prevention strategies. Universal vaccination against hepatitis B is the only way to eliminate the major public-health impact of this disease.
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