PL EN
RESEARCH PAPER
Hepatitis B in Poland, 2023-2024
 
More details
Hide details
1
Zakład Epidemiologii Chorób Zakaźnych i Nadzoru, Narodowy Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego PZH – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy
 
 
Submission date: 2025-10-03
 
 
Final revision date: 2025-11-20
 
 
Acceptance date: 2025-12-12
 
 
Online publication date: 2025-12-16
 
 
Corresponding author
Małgorzata Stępień   

Zakład Epidemiologii Chorób Zakaźnych i Nadzoru, Narodowy Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego PZH – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy
 
 
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background: Hepatitis B remains a serious public health problem worldwide. Achievement of the goals of the global hepatitis elimination strategy has been significantly delayed, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2022, a gradual levelling of hepatitis B epidemiological indicators has been observed in Poland. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the epidemiological situation of hepatitis B and hepatitis B vaccination coverage in Poland in 2023 and 2024, compared to previous years. Material and methods: The epidemiological situation of hepatitis B was assessed based on the analysis of the national hepatitis B and HBV infections surveillance system data recorded by the local sanitary and epidemiological stations in the Epibaza system. Data published in the annual bulletins "Infectious Diseases and Poisonings in Poland" and "Vaccinations in Poland" were also used, as well as data on deaths provided by the Demographic Surveys Department of Statistics Poland (GUS). Results: In 2023 and 2024, 36 and 32 cases of acute hepatitis B were recorded, respectively, resulting in an incidence of 0.1/100,000 and 0.09/100,000. The share of migrants among acute hepatitis B patients was 39% in 2023 and 25% in 2024, with no cases among children or young adults. Acute hepatitis B cases occurred in 14 of 16 voivodeships in 2023, and in 13 of 16 voivodeships in 2024. In 2023, 3,106 chronic and unknown stage (CHB and UNK) cases were recorded, and in 2024, 3,513, with a diagnosis rate of 8.24/100,000 and 9.35/100,000, respectively, which were higher than in the previous years. Imported cases of CHB and UNK accounted for 7% in 2023 and 9.9% in 2024, mostly acquired in Ukraine. The most frequently identified probable route of infection was medical procedures. Hepatitis B vaccination coverage HepB3 among 1-year-olds (in their second year of life) was 89.5% in 2023 and 87.3% in 2024. Conclusions: In 2023 and 2024, a further increase in the number of diagnosed hepatitis B cases was observed, to levels exceeding those observed before the COVID-19 pandemic. Reintroduction of testing and the increased number of migrants, particularly from Ukraine, contributed to the increase in the incidence and the diagnosis rate of HepB cases. In 2023 and 2024, further declines in hepatitis B vaccination coverage among 1-year-old children were recorded, to below 90%.
eISSN:2545-1898
ISSN:0033-2100
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top