Hepatitis B
The Untold Story of a Silent Killer
About Hepatitis
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The word “hepatitis” means inflammation
of the liver
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a virus that infects
liver and causes liver cirrhosis and liver
cancer
Silent Killer
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Most people with HBV do not have any
symptoms until it is too late
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1 in 4 adults with chronic HBV will die
from liver cancer or liver cirrhosis (WHO)
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HBV is transmitted by contact with blood
or body fluid from an infected person
There are 10x more people with chronic
HBV than HIV/AIDS worldwide (WHO)
HBV is 50-100x more infectious than HIV
(WHO)
HBV can survive outside the body for at
least 7 days (WHO)
Health Disparity
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HBV disproportionally affects Asian and
Pacific Islanders (API)
1 in 10 Asian American has HBV.
Liver cancer is the 2nd most common
cause of cancer death in Asian men
Perinatal Transmission
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Most infections occur from mother to
child
Over 90% of babies infected during
the first year of life develop chronic
infection (CDC)
20,000 hepatitis B infected women
give birth each year in U.S. (CDC)
HBV Vaccination
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Newborns born to infected mothers
should be vaccinated (1st dose vaccine +
HBIG) within 12 hours of birth
3 vaccine doses: month 0, 1, 6
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Hepatitis B has been vaccinepreventable since 1982
Yet, 1 person still die every 30-45
seconds of HBV-caused liver cancer and
liver failure
It is a silent epidemic!
Adrian Elkins
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Adopted as an infant from India
Received HBV vaccination upon
arrival to U.S
Diagnosed with HBV only when
he was dying from liver cancer
at 20-years-old
http://www.hepb.org/patients/personal_stories_adrian.htm
Mark Lim, MD
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Diagnosed with HBV at 26-year-old, but
was told by a doctor to not worry since
he was a "healthy" asymptomatic carrier
Diagnosed with advanced liver cancer at
31-years-old
Died before 32nd birthday
http://www.sfweekly.com/2002-05-01/news/dying-to-know/
HBV Worldwide
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2 billion people worldwide (1/3 world
population) have been infected with HBV
(WHO)
350 million people worldwide have chronic
(lifelong) HBV (CDC)
1 million people die each year from liver
disease and liver cancer (CDC)
Every 30–45 seconds, one person dies from
the vaccine-preventable HBV
HBV in the U.S.
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1.2 million Americans have chronic HBV
(CDC)
More than half are APIs
5,000 Americans die each year from
hepatitis B-related liver disease (CDC)
$700 million in medical and work loss
costs (CDC)
What Can You Do?
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Get educated about HBV
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Get tested for HBV
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Get protected with HBV vaccine
Break the Silence
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Read Know HBV brochure
Talk to your family, friends, colleagues,
patients, and general public about HBV
Write to House of Representatives to
support Viral Hepatitis and Liver
Cancer Control and Prevention Act of
2009 (HR 3974)
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hepatitis
Branch
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HBV/index.htm
 World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/immunization/topics/hepatitis_b/en/index.
html
 Asian Liver Center at Stanford University
http://liver.stanford.edu/
 Team HBV Collegiate Chapters
http://teamhbv.org
 USF Asian Pacific Medical Student Association
http://hsc.usf.edu/medstud/apamsa/hepatitis.html
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For General Public
Hepatitis B Foundation
http://www.hepb.org/
 American Liver Foundation
www.liverfoundation.org
 Tampa Bay Hepatitis & Liver Disease Support Group
http://thechancecenter.org/
 Hillsborough County Epidemiology Program Perinatal
Hepatitis B Prevention Program (PHBPP)
http://www.hillscountyhealth.org/epi/epi_main.htm
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For Health Professionals
Physician’s Guide to Hepatitis B
http://liver.stanford.edu/Public/pguide.html
 CDC Interpretation of Hepatitis B Serologic Test Results
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HBV/ProfResourcesB.htm
 CDC Recommended Doses of Hepatitis B Vaccines by Age Group and
Vaccine Type
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HBV/HBVfaq.htm#recctbl
 CDC Recommendation for Routine Testing and Follow-up for Chronic
Hepatitis B Virus Infection
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HBV/ProfResourcesB.htm
 Continuing Medical Education Courses on Hepatitis B
http://www.hepb.org/learning_guide/cme_course.htm
 The Florida Hepatitis Prevention Program Presents: Hepatitis 101
Training
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/disease_ctrl/aids/hep/
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Website: http://hsc.usf.edu/medstud/apamsa/
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Email: usfapamsa@googlegroups.com