世界卫生组织 (World Health Organization) 估计,全球有 2.57 亿人患 HBV 感染(定义为乙型肝炎表面抗原阳性)。[9]World Health Organization. Hepatitis B: fact sheet. April 2017. http://www.who.int (last accessed 25 July 2017).http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs204/en/接近一半感染者位于高流行区域:东南亚(日本除外)、中国和非洲。[10]Alter MJ. Epidemiology of hepatitis B in Europe and worldwide. J Hepatol. 2003;39(suppl 1):S64-S69.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14708680?tool=bestpractice.com[11]Gish RG, Gadano AC. Chronic hepatitis B: current epidemiology in the Americas and implications for management. J Viral Hepat. 2006;13:787-798.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17109678?tool=bestpractice.com
[Figure caption and citation for the preceding image starts]: 慢性乙型肝炎病毒感染的地理分布作者Jared Hossack博士,许可使用。 [Citation ends].在这些流行区域,8%及以上人口为慢性HBV感染者。[10]Alter MJ. Epidemiology of hepatitis B in Europe and worldwide. J Hepatol. 2003;39(suppl 1):S64-S69.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14708680?tool=bestpractice.com在低流行区域(例如西欧、北美、澳大利亚),2%及以下人口为慢性HBV感染者。此外,HBV终生感染风险在全球差异很大,从高流行区域的80%过渡至低流行区域的低于20%。在 2015 年,全球有 887,000 例 HBV 相关的死亡,大多数是由于并发症致死,例如肝硬化和肝细胞癌。[9]World Health Organization. Hepatitis B: fact sheet. April 2017. http://www.who.int (last accessed 25 July 2017).http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs204/en/
在历史上,美国是一个低患病率地区。在发病率方面,在 2015 年,美国估计有 21,900 例新发急性 HBV 感染。[12]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveillance for viral hepatitis – United States, 2015. June 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/ (last accessed 25 July 2017).https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/statistics/2015surveillance/commentary.htm关于慢性 HBV 感染,美国疾病预防控制中心 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC) 估计,美国有 850,000 人感染乙型肝炎,但该机构提示,人数可能高达 220 万。[12]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveillance for viral hepatitis – United States, 2015. June 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/ (last accessed 25 July 2017).https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/statistics/2015surveillance/commentary.htm未发表的 CDC 数据提示,在美国,所有慢性 HBV 感染中有一半发生在亚裔/太平洋岛民中,3/4 的感染见于在美国之外出生的人群。死亡率数据也显示,亚裔/太平洋岛民的死亡率不成比例地高。[12]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveillance for viral hepatitis – United States, 2015. June 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/ (last accessed 25 July 2017).https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/statistics/2015surveillance/commentary.htm
根据第二次国家健康和营养调查 (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES II),亚裔和太平洋岛民美国人 (Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, APIA) 在美国 HBV 感染人群总数中所占的比例被低估。此外,在这些人群中进行HBV诊疗仍面临很多困难。概括地讲,原因包括医疗服务提供者、患者自身以及医疗资源等因素导致在APIA人群中HBV相关健康差异。因此,在这些HBV感染人群中需要更有效的合理诊疗策略。[13]Hu KQ. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (APIAs): how can we do better for this special population? Am J Gastroenterol. 2008;103:1824-1833.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18479498?tool=bestpractice.com
美国预防工作组 (US Preventive Services Task Force) 建议在 HBV 感染流行国家出生的人群进行 HBV 检测。[14]LeFevre ML; US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for hepatitis B virus infection in nonpregnant adolescents and adults: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2014;161:58-66.http://annals.org/aim/article/1874740/screening-hepatitis-b-virus-infection-nonpregnant-adolescents-adults-u-shttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24863637?tool=bestpractice.com