APASL clinical practice guidelines on the management of chronic hepatitis B infection: a 2026 update

Abstract

Globally, especially in the Asia Pacific region, chronic hepatitis B infection has led to an undesirable escalating morbidity and mortality with acute-on chronic liver failure, end-staged liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. This has happened despite the past four decades of major scientific advances made in screening methods, vaccination strategies, highly effective low-cost anti-viral therapies, and surveillance strategies for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma. To address this health threat, APASL has formed a Viral Elimination Taskforce to unite key opinion leaders from its member countries and regions. The ongoing shifts in hepatitis B epidemiology, socioeconomic changes, and advancements in technology are taken into consideration. With the conjoint efforts of all the members of the APASL Viral Elimination Taskforce, these clinical practice guidelines have been formulated aiming to facilitate healthcare professionals, policy-makers, and patients in making practical and cost-effective management decisions for chronic hepatitis B infection. Altogether, it provides recommendations in 13 major areas related to screening, vaccination, treatment, and HCC surveillance. The implementation of these clinical practice guidelines represents major APASL effort toward elimination of the disease burden due to chronic hepatitis B infection in Asia Pacific region.