Acute hepatitis B is the short and severe phase of hepatitis B virus infection of the liver, which can develop into chronic infection [3][1]. Hepatitis B virus is a partly double-stranded DNA virus with serological markers including HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe, and anti-HBc IgM and IgG [4].
Disease overview
Acute hepatitis B
急性乙型肝炎
Evidence-backed informationEN 7/7 applicable sections · ZH 7/7 applicable sectionsUpdated Sep 3, 2026
Acute hepatitis B is an acute hepatitis B virus infection that is usually self-limited but can develop into chronic infection [1]. The risk of chronic disease is highest when infection occurs at a younger age [1]. Hepatitis B prevention programs emphasize vaccination and screening, including universal screening of pregnant women, to reduce transmission [2][1].
Read the full clinical and epidemiological profile8
Acute hepatitis B is usually self-limited but can develop into chronic infection [1]. Patients infected at a younger age are at highest risk for developing chronic disease [1].
Acute hepatitis B is an acute viral hepatitis that may be self-limited but can develop into chronic infection [1]. The likelihood of chronic disease is greatest when infection occurs at a younger age [1]. Routine vaccination and universal screening of pregnant women have decreased hepatitis B virus transmission [1].
Hepatitis B virus is found in body fluids and secretions, and in developed countries it is most commonly transmitted sexually or via intravenous drug use. Occupational exposure and perinatal transmission do occur but are rare in the United States [5]. Routine vaccination and universal screening of pregnant women have decreased the transmission of hepatitis B virus [1].
Hepatitis B prevention guidance addresses maternal-to-infant and horizontal transmission, identifying exposed infants and persons exposed through horizontal transmission as relevant groups [6]. Broader HBV management guidance also considers special populations and risk stratification based on viral and host factors [2].
A safe and effective hepatitis B vaccine offers nearly 100% protection [3]. Routine vaccination and universal screening of pregnant women have decreased hepatitis B virus transmission [1]. Universal vaccination in infants has also resulted in a sharp decline in prevalence [4]. Current HBV guidance emphasizes vaccination and screening to support global elimination targets [2], and prevention recommendations address maternal-to-infant and horizontal transmission [6].
Surveillance frameworks for hepatitis B include monitoring of prevention-related transmission pathways, specifically maternal-to-infant and horizontal transmission [6]. They also address liver cancer surveillance among hepatitis B surface antigen-positive persons, including those co-infected with hepatitis C, hepatitis D, or HIV and those after antigen loss [6].
- 1Thuener J et al. Hepatitis A and B Infections. Prim Care. 2017 Dec. PMID: 29132524. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2017.07.005.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29132524/
- 2European Association for the Study of the Liver et al. EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of hepatitis B virus infection. J Hepatol. 2025 Aug. PMID: 40348683. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2025.03.018.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40348683/
- 3World Health Organization. Hepatitis B [Internet]. cited 1 Sept 2026.Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-b
- 4Trépo C et al. Hepatitis B virus infection. Lancet. 2014 Dec 6. PMID: 24954675. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60220-8.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24954675/
- 5Lin KW et al. Hepatitis B. Am Fam Physician. 2004 Jan 1. PMID: 14727820.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14727820/
- 6Ghany MG et al. AASLD ISDA Practice Guideline on treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Hepatology. 2026 Apr 1. PMID: 41186418. doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001549.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41186418/
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Coverage
Reporting countries and regions
Trends by reporting country
Monthly patterns over time
Research Radar
Recent related research
Acute hepatitis B in the vaccination era: Predictors of functional cure and chronicity
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Association between fatty liver and risk of liver failure in patients with acute hepatitis B: a retrospective cohort study.
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[Trends and Epidemiological Characteristics of Acute Hepatitis B among Foreign Nationals in the Republic of Korea, 2014-2024].
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Showing 5 of 6 related publications.
Literature links are provided for discovery and do not alter or validate the surveillance series above.
Data access
Page dataset index with source links and update metadata.
Official sourcesAuthority, cadence, notes16
Australia NINDSS
Australia
Australian national notifiable diseases surveillance dashboard.
Australia NINDSS — Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Australian Capital Territory, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — New South Wales
New South Wales, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for New South Wales, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Northern Territory
Northern Territory, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Northern Territory, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Queensland
Queensland, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Queensland, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — South Australia
South Australia, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for South Australia, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Tasmania
Tasmania, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Tasmania, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Victoria
Victoria, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Victoria, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Western Australia
Western Australia, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Western Australia, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Public Health Ontario IDTO Monthly
Ontario, Canada
Ontario-level current-year preliminary monthly case counts from Public Health Ontario's IDTO report.
Finland THL Infectious Diseases Register
Finland
Finland THL Infectious Diseases Register national monthly case counts. The current month is ingested as provisional and the latest three months are refreshed for source revisions.
Norway FHI MSIS Statistics Bank
Norway
Norway FHI MSIS national monthly notifications from the official Allvis frontend API; adapter contract checks guard the unversioned endpoint.
Singapore CDA Weekly Infectious Diseases Bulletin
Singapore
Singapore national weekly case notifications, combining the official data.gov.sg 2012–2022 CSV history with CDA annual workbooks from 2023 onward; 2023 weekly PDFs are retained as a source fallback.
Taiwan, China CDC NIDSS
Taiwan, China
Taiwan, China monthly notifiable infectious disease open-data CSV feed.
US CDC NNDSS
United States
CDC National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System provisional data.
US CDC NHSS HIV
United States
CDC NNDSS weekly data plus NHSS annual national HIV diagnoses