In this Feb 20, 2022 file photo, a team of mainland epidemiological experts visit Hong Kong. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

The Hong Kong Department of Health has called on residents to pay more attention to liver diseases and seek relevant treatment at an early stage, after an official report estimated that about 410,000 Hong Kong residents may be infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and many of them have not had medical follow-ups.

The thematic report, released by the department on Thursday, assessed the current viral hepatitis status of the Hong Kong population. Results in the report are derived from the viral-hepatitis-related questions and tests provided in the Population Health Survey 2020-22 which interviewed over 16,000 non-hospitalized Hong Kong residents aged 15 or above between November 2020 and February 2022.

According to the Viral Hepatitis Control Office of the Department of Health, CHB patients should have regular examinations for early detection of changes in their liver condition, and maintain a healthy lifestyle

The report estimated that about 5.6 percent of Hong Kong’s population, or 410,000 people, are infected with HBV. People aged between 35 and 54 has the highest infection rate, while the positive rate of those aged below 35 is significantly lower, reflecting that the preventative measures adopted by the Hong Kong government since the 1980s have successfully mitigated HBV’s threat in the younger generation, the report said.

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For participants who completed the health examination, 6.2 percent were infected with HBV. Among them, nearly 40 percent did not report themselves as chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and about 70 percent had not taken any medical follow-up for their liver diseases, indicating that a considerable proportion of chronic HBV patients in Hong Kong are unaware of their infection status.

Warning that about 15 to 40 percent of untreated CHB patients may progress to other life-threating liver diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, the department suggests they should seek medical consultation and have regular follow-ups and examinations at an early stage to detect and manage the changes in their liver condition. People who live with CHB patients or those who have a higher risk of infection, such as drug abusers and sex workers, should inform healthcare workers of their situation and receive tests to check their hepatitis statues, said the department.

Liver cancer is the third most common cancer killer in the SAR and about 55 percent of the world’s liver cancer is caused by infection with HBV.

According to the Viral Hepatitis Control Office of the Department of Health, CHB patients should have regular examinations for early detection of changes in their liver condition, and maintain a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet with abundant fresh vegetables and fruit, while avoiding raw or undercooked shellfish. 

The department has also been enhancing risk-based viral hepatitis screenings at its relevant services including social hygiene clinics and elderly health centers.

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As for hepatitis A, C and E, their infection rates in Hong Kong have remained low in recent years, the report said.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com