Weimin Sun

Sinovac (Dalian) Vaccine Technology Co., Ltd., Dalian, 116620, Liaoning, China
Author    Correspondence author
Journal of Vaccine Research, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 3   
Received: 15 Apr., 2024    Accepted: 18 May, 2024    Published: 29 May, 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a significant global health challenge, with over 296 million people living with chronic HBV infection and more than 820 000 annual deaths due to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The epidemiology of HBV varies widely, with high endemicity in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia, and lower prevalence in North America and Western Europe. Universal hepatitis B vaccination programs have been instrumental in reducing HBV prevalence and associated HCC rates, particularly in high-endemicity regions. Despite these successes, challenges remain, including variable vaccination coverage and the need for targeted strategies to address high-risk populations and regions with low immunization rates. Sustainable vaccination programs, improved coverage, and effective monitoring are essential to achieving the World Health Organization's goal of HBV elimination by 2030. This study highlights the global epidemiology of HBV, the impact of vaccination on disease burden, and the implications for future vaccine strategies to reduce HBV-related morbidity and mortality.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV); Vaccination; Epidemiology; Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); Global health strategies