Hepatitis B immunization program in Taiwan associated with reduction in chronic liver disease deaths

"Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes infant fulminant hepatitis (IFH), and chronic HBV infection may progress to chronic liver disease (CLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Taiwan launched a nationwide HBV immunization program for newborns in July 1984, which has successfully lowered the prevalence of chronic HBV carriers, incidence of HCC, and mortality of IFH in vaccinated birth cohorts. The mortality of CLD before and after HBV immunization has never been examined," write Chun-Ju Chiang, Ph.D., of National Taiwan University, Taipei, and colleagues...
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Liver Disease / Hepatitis Source Type: news