The Asia-Pacific Expert Committee on Hepatitis B Management recently reviewed the impact of hepatitis B in the region and assessed the differences and similarities observed in the practical management of the disease in individual Asia-Pacific countries. Hepatitis B is a major health concern in the AsiaPacific region, and of all chronically infected carriers worldwide, approximately 75% are found in Asia. The disease poses a considerable burden on healthcare systems, and is likely to remain a cause of substantial morbidity and mortality for several decades. Disease prevention activities, including screening and vaccination programs, have been implemented successfully in some Asia-Pacific countries and similar measures are being established in other parts of the region. The management of hepatitis B in the Asia-Pacific varies throughout the region, with each country confronting different issues related to treatment options, disease monitoring and duration of therapy. The influence of cost, availability of diagnostic equipment, and patient awareness and compliance are of additional concern. Although guidelines such as those developed by the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver have been created to address problems encountered in the management of hepatitis B, many physicians in the region still find it difficult to make satisfactory management decisions because of the treatment choices available. This article examines the different approaches to hepatitis B management in a number of Asia-Pacific countries, and highlights the difficulties that can arise when adhering to treatment guidelines and disease prevention solutions that have proved to be successful in the region.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its liver‐related complications are a substantial health concern in the Asia‐Pacific region. Over the last two decades, public health interventions and the implementation of universal vaccination programs have substantially reduced the incidence of HBV infections in many countries in this region. However, large proportions of individuals remain chronically infected and subject to an increased risk for serious sequelae, including cirrhosis, decompensated liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The management of HBV infection varies throughout the Asia‐Pacific region, with each country confronting different issues related to prevention, screening, and treatment. These issues include the availability of diagnostic testing and treatment, the cost of diagnosis and treatment, the availability of trained medical professionals and medical facilities, and disease awareness among primary care physicians and the public. This article reviews the epidemiology of HBV infection in the Asia‐Pacific region, explains factors influencing hepatitis B prevalence and prevention, and discusses barriers to prevention and treatment of chronic hepatitis B and its liver‐related complications.

During the past decade a considerable amount of data has been generated concerning polychlorinated dibenzodioxin (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) levels in humans from many geographical locations. To organize these data in a useful fashion for environmental purposes and for consideration of human toxicity, selected portions ofour data are presented in a somewhat atypical fashion, by percentage contribution of individual congeners to total PCDD/Fs in human tissue, and to the total dioxin equivalents (TEq). This is done to better characterize congener contributions from environmental contamination in various geographical regionsat this time and health-related levels. To present the findings in a global perspective, data from widely different locations are presented including the United States, Germany, Vietnam, the former Soviet Union, Thailand,

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Reimbursement policies differed from country to country, the quantum and the proportion of patients who received reimbursement also varied significantly. Asia Pacific countries were able to follow APASL guidelines with variable success based on their reimbursement policies.