Most hepatitis B patients don't get treatment, CDC finds

Of an estimated 257 million people infected with hepatitis B in 2016, only 27 million people knew they had the infection, and just 4.5 million received treatment, a CDC report found.

In 2017, the report found all low- and middle-income countries could access entecavir, which is used to treat hepatitis B, and all but two could access the infection treatment tenofovir.

Despite a decrease in the median price of generic tenofovir, from $208 per year of treatment in 2004 to $32 in 2016, treatment rates are still low, the CDC found.

"Taking advantage of reductions in price of antivirals active against [hepatitis B virus] infection could further increase access to treatment," the agency wrote. "Regular analysis of the hepatitis B treatment care cascade can assist in monitoring progress toward [hepatitis B virus] elimination goals."

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