Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a significant public health problem worldwide and a significant cause of chronic hepatitis, cir¬rhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite effective prevention and treatment interventions, HBV still cause about 1 million deaths yearly. Improving prevention and elimination and trying to find more effective modalities is a must to decrease morbidity and mortality rates caused by HBV. To achieve WHO objectives of eliminating HBV by 2030, implementation of several elimination strategies should be prioritized actively. Antenatal HBsAg screening, prevention of MTCT with the administration of tenofovir to pregnant women, together also with birth-dose vaccination and full vaccine coverage should form the cornerstone of any HBV elimination strategy. Similar strategies involve pregnancy tracking. The elimination of viral hepatitis would need an effective partnership between affected communities, professional and community organizations, governments and national departments of health, researchers and health professionals, and pharmaceutical companies. Chronic viral hepatitis must finally be recognized as a health priority by countries in which the disease is endemic to reduce the clinical burden despite vaccination programs.
Key words: HBV; CHB; biomarker; HBV prevention; HBV challenges
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