Erratum for Viral Hepatitis Surveillance United States, 2013

This paragraph replaces paragraph 5 in the Summary Section of the document.

Acute hepatitis B has been declining in incidence since 1990 mainly due to effective vaccination strategies.  Although small annual increases were observed at three points in time over the 24 years from 1990-2013, several more years of data are needed to determine any change in the trend. Chronic HBV infection, estimated at 700,000-1.4 million of the U.S. population (7, 8), remains a major public health challenge. As the surveillance data from enhanced surveillance sites in this report indicate, about one-half of chronic HBV infections were among Asians/Pacific Islanders, and 63.9% of chronic HBV infections were among persons born outside of the United States. Other data indicate that approximately 47%-70% of chronic HBV-infected persons living in the United States were born in other countries (9), and of foreign born persons living in the United States with chronic HBV infection, an estimated 58% migrated from Asia (8). Further, the mortality data in this report show that Asians/Pacific Islanders are disproportionately dying with hepatitis B. Identifying these chronically infected persons and linking them to care is critical (10, 11). In 2014, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) joined with CDC in recommending HBV testing for persons born in countries where HBV infection is endemic (12). There were 3,050 cases of acute hepatitis B reported in 2013. After adjusting for under-ascertainment and under-reporting (2), the estimated number of new HBV infections was 19,764.

Here is the original paragraph that has been replaced with the one above.

Acute hepatitis B has been declining in incidence since 1990 mainly due to effective vaccination strategies, but for the first time since 1990, in 2013, the number of reported cases of acute hepatitis B increased to 3,050 cases, which represented a 5.4% increase from 2012. Although this increase may reflect the growing number of drug-related and healthcare-related outbreaks associated with hepatitis B transmission, it may be premature to interpret the increase from 2012-2013; continued monitoring over more years of data is warranted. Chronic HBV infection, estimated at 700,000-1.4 million of the U.S. population (7, 8), remains a major public health challenge. As the surveillance data from enhanced surveillance sites in this report indicate, about one-half of chronic HBV infections were among Asians/Pacific Islanders, and 63.9% of chronic HBV infections were among persons born outside of the United States. Other data indicate that approximately 47%-70% of chronic HBV-infected persons living in the United States were born in other countries (9), and of foreign born persons living in the United States with chronic HBV infection, an estimated 58% migrated from Asia (8). Further, the mortality data in this report show that Asians/Pacific Islanders are disproportionately dying with hepatitis B. Identifying these chronically infected persons and linking them to care is critical (10, 11). In 2014, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) joined with CDC in recommending HBV testing for persons born in countries where  HBV infection is endemic (12). There were 3,050 cases of acute hepatitis B reported in 2013. After adjusting for under-ascertainment and  under-reporting (2), the estimated number of new HBV infections was 19,764.