New globally faces of hepatitis B and C in the world

1Worldwide, infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) have become a major cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the major global problems for public health in the world and Iran (1-3). HBV infection is the main cause of chronic liver disease in Iran (4) and the seroprevalence of HBV infection in Iran has been decreased during the last two decades (5). The main risk factor for HBV transmission was related to maternal-to-infantile transmission and the infantile vaccination with high coverage is the main cause for changes in epidemiology of HBV infection. But today, we have more risk factors for transmission in adulthood. The community contacts more in adolescence and the health policy makers should attend more for control of HBV infection. People awareness, risk factors modifications, harm reduction programmes in young addicted persons, vaccination against HBV in adults should be consider for control of HBV infection in future. We have less new cases, but we will have more cirrhotic cases and we need to consider the best therapy for prevention of HBV infection to end-stage phases.