Hepatitis in Canada: 2018 surveillance data

Hepatitis B

Number and rate of hepatitis B in Canada, 2018

• 4,783 reported cases of hepatitis B in 2018 (110 fewer cases than in 2017).
• Acute hepatitis B: 189 cases for a rate of 0.5 per 100,000 people.
• Chronic hepatitis B: 3,843 cases for a rate of 10.6 per 100,000 people.
• Unspecified: 751 cases.
• 56% of all hepatitis B cases in 2018 were among males.
• From 2014 to 2018, rates of acute hepatitis B were stable, but rates of chronic hepatitis B decreased by 20%.

Rate of chronic hepatitis B per age group, 2018

• The rates of chronic hepatitis B varied by age group:
  • 0.4 cases per 100,000 people among those less than 15 years old
  • 9.9 per 100,000 in the 15 to 29 age group
  • 23.8 per 100,000 in the 30 to 39 age group
  • 13.5 per 100,000 in the 40 to 59 age group
  • 7.1 per 100,000 among those 60 years old and older
• The highest rates of chronic hepatitis B are among 30 to 39 year olds.

Hepatitis C

Number and rate of hepatitis C in Canada, 2018

• 12,447 reported cases of hepatitis C in 2018 for a rate of 33.6 per 100,000 people (a 13% increase since 2014).
• In 2018, the rate of hepatitis C among males was 41.3 per 100,000 and 25.8 per 100,000 among females.

Rate change of hepatitis C in Canada, 2014 to 2018

• Among 15 to 29 year olds, rates increased by 14% among males and 27% among females.
• Among 30 to 39 year olds, rates increased by 30% among males and 42% among females.
• Among 40 to 59 year olds, rates decreased by 6% among males and 3% among females.
• Among those 60 years old and older, rates increased by 27% among males and 40% among females.
• From 2014 to 2018, female rates increased twice as quickly as male rates.
• Highest increase in rates was among those 30 to 39 years old.

Appendix A: Data tables for hepatitis B and C figures