Trends of hepatitis B notification rates in Guangzhou, China, from 2006 to 2020: An epidemiological study

Abstract Background: Although the prevalence of hepatitis B in Guangzhou, China, is high, the epidemiological trends have not been well-documented. We analysed the data of newly reported hepatitis B cases in Guangzhou from 2006–2020, to explore the epidemiological trend and provide a scientific basis for the prevention and development of control measures.Methods: Information on the population and new cases of hepatitis B in Guangzhou from 2006–2020 was obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention, which was used to calculate the annual notification rates of hepatitis B by gender, age group (0–9; 10–19; 20–59; ≥60), and location (urban or rural). The joinpoint regression analysis was used to analyse the time trends and calculate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) and annual percentage change (APC) for each identified trend line segment. Results: From 2006 to 2020, 361,909 new cases of hepatitis B were cumulatively reported. The average annual reporting rate was 189.64/100,000, and after a sharp increase from 2006–2008 (APC: 29.99%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.14% to 50.67%), the notification rate showed a long-term downward trend from 2008–2018 (APC: -7.55%; 95% CI: -8.68% to -6.40%), with an average annual decrease of 1.27% (AAPC: -1.27%; 95% CI: -3.77% to 1.28%). Males had a significantly higher notification rate than females; however, the gender ratio decreased from a maximum of 2.53 in 2006 to a minimum of 1.54 in 2020. A downward trend in notification rate in urban areas and an upward trend in rural areas was observed, with an increase in the rural/urban ratio from 0.41 in 2006 to 1.57 in 2020. The notification rate for all age groups showed a downward trend year by year, except for the group ≥60 years, for whom it started to decrease from 2015. Conclusions: Although the overall notification rate of hepatitis B in Guangzhou was decreasing year by year, it was still high. Especially in rural areas, the notification rate has been increasing in recent years, and effective measures should be taken to control hepatitis B infection in Guangzhou.