Observational analysis shows increased hepatitis B virus infection rates in adults during COVID-19, indicating the need for improved viral hepatitis control strategies.
The findings highlight a complex interplay between pandemic conditions and observed positivity rates. The increase likely stemmed from multiple factors, including shifted testing focus, altered healthcare-seeking behavior, and potential viral reactivation. The COVID-19 response offers insights for optimizing future viral hepatitis control strategies during public health emergencies. Future research should expand demographic and geographic scope and investigate behavioral/social determinants to elucidate underlying mechanisms and guide targeted interventions.
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Li et al. (2025) studied this question.
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