Author information
- 1Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Abstract
Background: Sexual transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is common in the United States. In 2008, an estimated 50% of HBV infections were attributed to sexual transmission. Among 21,600 acute infections that occurred in 2018, the proportion attributable to sexual transmissions is unknown.
Methods: Objectives of this study were to estimate incidence and prevalence of hepatitis B attributable to sexual transmission among the US population aged 15 years and older for 2013-2018. Incidence estimates were calculated for confirmed cases submitted to CDC from 14 states. A hierarchical algorithm defining sexually transmitted acute HBV infections as the absence of injection drug use among persons reporting sexual risk factors, was applied to determine proportion of hepatitis B infections attributable to sexual transmission nationally. NHANES public use data files were analyzed to calculate prevalence estimates of hepatitis B among US households and proportion attributed to sexual transmission was conservatively determined for HBV infected non-US born Americans who migrated from HBV endemic countries.
Results: During 2013-2018, an estimated 47,000 [95% CI (27,000, 116,000)] or 38.2% of acute HBV infections in the United States were attributable to sexual transmission. During 2013-2018, among the US non-institutionalized population, an estimated 817,000 [95% CI (613,000, 1,100,000)] persons aged 15 years and older were living with hepatitis B, with an estimated 103,000 [95% CI (89,000, 118,000)] infections or 12.6% attributable to sexual transmission.
Conclusion: These findings provide evidence sexually transmitted HBV infections remain a public health problem and underscore the importance of interventions to improve vaccination among at-risk populations.