Hepatitis B The Untold Story of a Silent Killer

About Hepatitis 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 Most people with HBV do not have any symptoms until it is too late 1 in 4 adults with chronic HBV will die from liver cancer or liver cirrhosis (WHO)

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 x more infectious than HIV (WHO) HBV can survive outside the body for at least 7 days (WHO)

Health Disparity 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 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 Newborns born to infected mothers should be vaccinated (1 st dose vaccine + HBIG) within 12 hours of birth 3 vaccine doses: month 0, 1, 6

Hepatitis B has been vaccine- preventable since 1982 Yet, 1 person still die every seconds of HBV-caused liver cancer and liver failure It is a silent epidemic!

Adrian Elkins 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

Mark Lim, MD 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 32 nd birthday

HBV Worldwide 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. 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? Get educated about HBV Get tested for HBV Get protected with HBV vaccine

Break the Silence 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 World Health Organization html Asian Liver Center at Stanford University Team HBV Collegiate Chapters USF Asian Pacific Medical Student Association

For General Public Hepatitis B Foundation American Liver Foundation Tampa Bay Hepatitis & Liver Disease Support Group Hillsborough County Epidemiology Program Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program (PHBPP)

For Health Professionals Physician’s Guide to Hepatitis B CDC Interpretation of Hepatitis B Serologic Test Results CDC Recommended Doses of Hepatitis B Vaccines by Age Group and Vaccine Type CDC Recommendation for Routine Testing and Follow-up for Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection Continuing Medical Education Courses on Hepatitis B The Florida Hepatitis Prevention Program Presents: Hepatitis 101 Training

Website: