Khaberni - Published by the Scientific Research Department at Biolab Medical Laboratory, headed by Dr. Issa Abu Daya, and the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group at Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, headed by Professor Laith Abu-Raddad, is a joint study on the prevalence of hepatitis B virus in Jordan. The unprecedented study provided the most comprehensive assessment of hepatitis B virus spread in Jordan, highlighting the existing challenges and significant progress made thanks to vaccination campaigns.
Hepatitis B virus is a viral infection that affects the liver and can cause liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Estimates from 2022 suggest that 254 million people worldwide live with chronic hepatitis B infection, which claims more than 800,000 lives annually. Those infected are at risk of developing liver cirrhosis or liver cancer during their lifetime, with a likelihood ranging from 30-40%.
The study, published in the international medical journal Journal of Viral Hepatitis, analyzed a national database containing over 40,000 tests for hepatitis B conducted in Jordan between 2010 and 2024. In a research first for Jordan, the researchers' work did not just measure the prevalence rate but also included infection rates, recovery rates, and long-term trends.
The study's results reveal the burden of hepatitis B in Jordan, yet they also show a sharp decrease in the disease's prevalence rate, which has declined by about 7% annually over the past fifteen years. Infection rates are now very low among those born after the hepatitis B vaccination campaign began in 1995, but they remain high among older generations born before the large-scale vaccination campaigns.
In this regard, Dr. Issa Abu Daya, the lead author of the study and head of the Scientific Research Department at Biolab Medical Laboratory, said: "This study shows the success of the vaccination program in Jordan and what needs to be done next. We are witnessing this generational shift that offers greater protection to younger age groups, while large numbers of adults still suffer from this chronic infection. The prevalence rate of the virus among children protected by the vaccine is about 20 times lower compared to adults born before the vaccination program."
Similarly, Professor Laith Abu-Raddad, the principal author of the study and a professor of Population Health Sciences and head of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group at Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, said: "Our results demonstrate that infection rates for the hepatitis B virus have drastically declined since the vaccination program began, an impressive success story in prevention. However, to achieve the World Health Organization's goal of eliminating the virus by 2030, Jordan must act quickly to expand vaccination at birth to prevent transmission from mothers to their children, extend testing coverage, and facilitate access to treatment. Additionally, screening pregnant women and treating those with high viral loads can reduce transmission around the time of birth."
With about 200,000 Jordanians suffering from chronic hepatitis B infection, approximately 1% of them are diagnosed, and only 2% of those eligible have received treatment. The study's authors collectively called for urgent action to close these gaps by enhancing screening programs and linking them with healthcare.
Dr. Ameed Abdelnour, the co-author of the study and the founder and CEO of Biolab Medical Laboratory, added: "This study provides scientific evidence to guide public health strategy in Jordan. This cooperation between researchers in Jordan and Qatar serves as an important model for other countries in the Middle East and North Africa striving to control hepatitis B among their populations."
The study titled "Hepatitis B Virus in Jordan: Prevalence, Incidence, and Recovery through Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Studies" was funded by Biolab Diagnostic Laboratories, the Biomedical Research Program at Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, and the Qatar National Research Fund under the National Priorities Research Program (NPRP 12S-0216-190094).
