Hepatitis D in Asia and the Pacific: a situational analysis

We’re looking at the current situation of hepatitis D in Asia and the Pacific region and Australia. We want to find out if there needs to be a coordinated public health response to hepatitis D in Australia and in Asia and the Pacific and what this response would look like.

What we know about hepatitis D 

Hepatitis D is a viral infection that can cause liver inflammation and damage, and is only found in people who already have hepatitis B. 

Chronic hepatitis D infection is one of the most severe forms of viral hepatitis. Between 50-70% of patients develop cirrhosis (chronic liver disease) within 5 to 10 years of diagnosis. 

Globally, while the number of people with hepatitis D appear to have decreased with improved hepatitis B vaccination, there is wide variation in how often people are tested for the infection. Unfortunately the disease is often under-diagnosed and under-treated.  

Hepatitis D is estimated to affect between 12 million people worldwide, but given the wide variation in access to test and systematic testing, some estimates suggest up to 60 million could be infected.

What we’re doing

We're interviewing a wide multidisciplinary range of people involved in the global and national response to viral hepatitis to understand the current situation. 

By understanding what’s needed and what the obstacles are, we can build a better plan to deal with hepatitis D. This will help reduce deaths caused by the disease.