Prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Thailand: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To estimate the number of people living in Thailand with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), a major cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer, in view of the implementation of programs to prevent CHB complications.

Using PubMed/Medline and ScienceDirect, all studies reporting hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence estimates conducted in Thailand and published between 1975 and 2015 were reviewed systematically. Pooled prevalence estimates and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and potential sources of heterogeneity investigated.

A high heterogeneity was observed between prevalence estimates. There was a significant decrease in the 150 estimates of HBsAg prevalence with more recent decades of birth (p<0.001), even before the implementation of the national universal immunization program in 1992. When restricted to the general population, the pooled prevalence estimate was 5.1% (95% CI 4.3-6.0%), which would translate to an estimated number of individuals with CHB living in Thailand in 2015 as high as three million.

The high burden of CHB in Asian countries is a major challenge for the incorporation of national programs to prevent CHB complications within health care systems.