Brazil study maps viral hepatitis trends and vaccination gaps

Researchers at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein analyzed 200 scientific papers published between 2013 and 2024, covering data on more than 14.5 million people. The review, part of the "Characterisation of Viral Hepatitis in Vulnerable Populations" project funded by Brazil’s SUS‑Proadi program, provides a comprehensive overview of hepatitis A, B, C, D and E across the country.

The study, published in the international journal PLOS ONE, aims to inform strategies that will help Brazil meet the World Health Organization’s goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030. Coordinator João Renato Rebello Pinho highlighted a resurgence of hepatitis A linked to oral‑anal sexual contact, initially observed among men who have sex with men and now spreading to broader, unvaccinated groups. He stressed that vaccination remains the primary preventive measure, especially in regions where the disease is still common through contaminated food or water.

Findings also note regional variations, with higher hepatitis A incidence in the Amazon, North and Northeast, while newer transmission patterns are emerging in the South, Southeast and Central‑West. The authors call for expanded vaccination coverage and targeted public‑health interventions to curb the spread of all five hepatitis viruses.