OBJECTIVE:

To study the trends in the prevalence of hepatitis B infections in the Netherlands on the basis of reported cases.

DESIGN:

Retrospective, descriptive.

METHOD:

Analysis of data collected from the obligatory notification of hepatitis B to the Dutch Public Health Services in the Netherlands in the period 2002-2005.

RESULTS:

In the period from January 2002 to December 2005, 7352 hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections were reported, of which 1168 (16%) were acute and 5849 (80%) were chronic infections. Of the acute HBV infections, 34% were transmitted by homo- or bisexual contact and 25% by heterosexual contact. The number of reports of acute HBV infection due to heterosexual transmission increased significantly and originated relatively more often in Dutch patients. The number of reports of chronic HBV infection in men increased significantly; in women there was a decrease over time. Of the chronic HBV infections, 40% were transmitted from mother to child; this was reported especially often by patients from HBV endemic areas.

CONCLUSION:

Sexual contact was the most important risk factor for the transmission of acute HBV infections, whereas vertical transmission was the greatest risk factor by far for chronic HBV infection. Transmission via heterosexual contact had become increasingly important in the transmission of acute HBV; transmission by homo- or bisexual contact remained constant. Immigration continued to play an important role in the epidemiology of HBV in the Netherlands; the majority of the chronic carriers had been born and infected in an HBV endemic area.