Prevention of Liver Fibrosis and Cancer in Africa: The PROLIFICA project – a collaborative study of hepatitis B-related liver disease in West Africa

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes a spectrum of acute and chronic liver disease ranging from inactive chronic carrier status to progressive chronic hepatitis, culminating in end-stage cirrhosis and liver cancer. In sub-Saharan Africa, HBV infection is endemic and the HBV-related disease burden is high,  making HBV a signficant threat to health in the African continent.  The European Union-funded Prevention of Liver Fibrosis and Cancer in Africa (PROLIFICA) project was established in 2011, with the central directive to  reduce the incidence of HBV-related liver cancer in West Africa. In this editorial, we outline some of the achievements and challenges of the PROLIFICA platform in West Africa, highlighting the the importance of collaborative studies in Africa.