Principle investigators: Dr Nicholas Riches and Dr Alexander Stockdale

Locations: Karonga Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) and Area 25, Lilongwe HDSS, Malawi.

Description: Cohorts of chronic hepatitis B participants at both sites are nested within existing longitudinal demographic surveillance systems, run by the Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU).  The Karonga HDSS serves a rural population in northern Malawi, while the Lilongwe HDSS represents an urban population in the capital city. These sites are subject to continuous surveillance by MEIRU fieldworkers to follow-up the status of all residents.

The hepatitis B cohorts were identified from an ongoing community-based serosurvey which commenced in 2021. Newly identified cases of hepatitis B were evaluated for treatment using transient elastography, routine blood testing and HBV DNA quantification. Those eligible for treatment were referred for drug initiation and all participants will be followed up for continued monitoring.