1 Only three countries in Africa: Cameroon, Rwanda, and Mauritania, have national guidelines addressing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B. However, in the WHO Africa region, only 6% of infants are administered the birth-dose. The best way to prevent the transmission of hepatitis B (HBV) from mother to child is through a “birth-dose”, meaning infants are vaccinated against hepatitis B within 24 hours of birth. Most early childhood transmission cases in sub-Saharan Africa are from horizontal transmission especially during the first 5 years of life from contact with family members or close friends infected with hepatitis B 2, though vertical transmission from a hepatitis B infected mother to her baby is also common and completely preventable with birth prophylaxis. Horizontal transmission refers to infection with hepatitis B from direct blood-to-blood contact with an infected individual. Vertical transmission refers to the transmission of hepatitis B from an infected mother to her baby during delivery. There are two types of mother-to-child and early childhood transmission of hepatitis B resulting in chronic infection: vertical and horizontal. These modes of infection transmission are preventable with proper birth prophylaxis. Hepatitis B is commonly transmitted from mother-to-child and close contact with infected individuals during the first 5 years of life. Mother-to-Child and Early Childhood Transmission 1 These statistics demonstrate the need for conferences like COLDA to discuss best practices and reduce viral hepatitis in Africa. 1 Over 60 million people in Africa have hepatitis B which annually accounts for an estimated 68,870 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that viral hepatitis is a bigger threat to Africa than HIV/AIDS, malaria, or tuberculosis with over 1.34 million deaths a year attributed to it. This virtual conference is important for addressing viral hepatitis since fewer than 1 in 10 people in Africa has access to testing and treatment for viral hepatitis. The conference will consist of lectures discussing viral hepatitis infections, hepatitis co-infections, non-viral hepatitis-related infections, non-infectious induced liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, and end-stage liver disease. This virtual conference will gather clinicians, patients, other healthcare professionals, and policymakers from African regions, with international experts to support and exchange innovative ideas and knowledge about liver disease. Manal Al-Sayed, Mark Nelson, and Papa Saliou Mbaye. COLDA is organized by Virology Education on behalf of the organizing committee led by Drs. To discuss the latest advances in addressing viral hepatitis and other liver diseases in Africa, there will be a virtual Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA) from September 10th to 12th, 2020.
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