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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Australian Prescriber

Hepatitis B update: enabling progress towards elimination

  • Jane Davies1,2
  • Marilou Capati3
  • Nicole Allard4,5
5 affiliations
  1. 1Infectious Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin
  2. 2Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital
  3. 3Top End Medical Centre, Darwin
  4. 4Cohealth, Melbourne
  5. 5WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, Doherty Institute, Melbourne
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Abstract

SUMMARY: Hepatitis B is a common vaccine-preventable and treatable condition. Chronic hepatitis B is often asymptomatic and can be missed if the diagnosis is not actively considered.

The World Health Organization and the Australian Government have committed to eliminate hepatitis B as a public health threat by 2030. The tools required to achieve this are available: an effective vaccine, accurate blood tests for diagnosis and monitoring, effective antiviral treatments and access to ultrasound to enable early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Risk-based testing approaches are not effective enough to enable Australia to achieve elimination targets; hence, the Fourth National Hepatitis B Strategy 2025–2030 calls for population-wide testing to identify hepatitis B status.

Chronic hepatitis B is a lifelong disease that requires long-term monitoring and follow-up irrespective of the stage of disease or whether an individual is taking antiviral treatment.

Most healthcare for people living with chronic hepatitis B can be provided in primary care. All medical practitioners and authorised nurse practitioners can now prescribe antiviral therapy for hepatitis B; additional accreditation is no longer required.

Holistic care includes the provision of resources in a person’s preferred language, peer and cultural support workers, access to a long-term effective model of care, and appropriate monitoring. Continuity of healthcare providers is desirable and an important enabler of sustained engagement in care.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{davies2026hepatitis,
  title = {{Hepatitis B update: enabling progress towards elimination}},
  author = {Jane Davies and Marilou Capati and Nicole Allard},
  journal = {Australian Prescriber},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.18773/austprescr.2026.043},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.18773/austprescr.2026.043},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Hepatitis B update: enabling progress towards elimination
AU  - Jane Davies
AU  - Marilou Capati
AU  - Nicole Allard
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/01
JO  - Australian Prescriber
DO  - 10.18773/austprescr.2026.043
UR  - https://doi.org/10.18773/austprescr.2026.043
AB  - SUMMARY: Hepatitis B is a common vaccine-preventable and treatable condition. Chronic hepatitis B is often asymptomatic and can be missed if the diagnosis is not actively considered.  The World Health Organization and the Australian Government have committed to eliminate hepatitis B as a public health threat by 2030. The tools required to achieve this are available: an effective vaccine, accurate blood tests for diagnosis and monitoring, effective antiviral treatments and access to ultrasound to enable early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.  Risk-based testing approaches are not effective enough to enable Australia to achieve elimination targets; hence, the Fourth National Hepatitis B Strategy 2025–2030 calls for population-wide testing to identify hepatitis B status.  Chronic hepatitis B is a lifelong disease that requires long-term monitoring and follow-up irrespective of the stage of disease or whether an individual is taking antiviral treatment.  Most healthcare for people living with chronic hepatitis B can be provided in primary care. All medical practitioners and authorised nurse practitioners can now prescribe antiviral therapy for hepatitis B; additional accreditation is no longer required.  Holistic care includes the provision of resources in a person’s preferred language, peer and cultural support workers, access to a long-term effective model of care, and appropriate monitoring. Continuity of healthcare providers is desirable and an important enabler of sustained engagement in care.
SN  - 0312-8008
SN  - 1839-3942
ER  -