Hepatitis B Basics

???? “A silent killer” 10X more common and 100X more infectious than HIV The cause of up to 80% of liver cancer cases worldwide

Hepatitis B is… Inflammation of the liver caused by infection by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

A Healthy Liver o Major role in metabolism and detoxification o Fights against infections and controls bleeding

A life-long disease. Once infected there is NO cure. CHRONIC Hepatitis B is… Liver failure/cirrhosis (scarring) Liver cancer And ultimately, premature death!!! It can cause:

Even if you feel perfectly healthy… o You could still be chronically infected with HBV o Most people with chronic HBV infection have no symptoms o Blood tests for liver enzymes are often normal Chronic HBV infection: A Silent Killer in API Community

Hepatitis B is spread through… B lood B irth S ex Transmission: B.B.S

Hepatitis B is NOT transmitted through: WaterAirFood Sharing utensils Breast- feeding Saliva Transmission Myths:

Who does HBV affect? 1/3 of the world’s population has been infected at one point in time. That’s 2 billion people! million people worldwide are chronically infected. That is 1 in 20 people! Compare this to the 35 million with HIV/AIDS. Without appropriate monitoring or treatment, 1 in 4 with chronic hepatitis B will die of liver cancer. This leads to 1-2 deaths every minute …

Why should Asians & Pacific Islanders be concerned?

HBV is the greatest health disparity between API and general population. 1 in 10 APIs is chronically infected with HBV, compared to 1 in 1,000 for Caucasian Americans million affected in the United States 1 in 12 Korean-Americans 1 in 10 Chinese-Americans 1 in 8 Vietnamese-Americans Asian & Pacific Islander Population

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

o Simple blood test o Hepatitis B surface antigen test (HBsAg) o Positive (+): has hepatitis B o Negative (-): does not have hepatitis B o Hepatitis B surface antibody test (HBsAb) o Positive (+): has immunity o Negative (-): does not have immunity Get Tested! “Silent Killer” Remember, chronic hepatitis B usually DOES NOT have any symptoms until it is too late. Get tested today!

1 st shot 2 nd shot (1 month later) 3 rd shot (5 months later) Total: 6-month, 3 shot series Get Vaccinated! o If you are: Hepatitis B surface antigen (-) & hepatitis B surface antibody (-), then you are susceptible and should get the vaccine o The first “anti-cancer” vaccine - CDC o Confers life-long protection “3 for life”

o If you have chronic hepatitis B: o There is NO cure, but hepatitis B can be managed o Everyone is different; discuss treatment with doctor o Important regular check-ups o ALT for liver damage and AFP for liver cancer, 6 months o Ultrasound, 12 months o Can still live a long and healthy life with appropriate monitoring and treatment Get Treatment!

UNITE AGAINST HEPATITIS B: WHAT YOU CAN DO

o If you have chronic hepatitis B, you should also: o Avoid drinking alcohol o Get the hepatitis A vaccination Protect Your Liver

o Spread the word! o Make sure family members are tested and vaccinated o Expecting mothers can protect their newborns by making sure that their doctors administer to their newborns the necessary shots! Protect Your Family

Mothers with chronic hepatitis B can protect their babies o Her newborn should be given two shots: o The first shot of the 3-shot hepatitis B vaccine AND o The HBIG (hepatitis B immunoglobulin) shot o These need to be given within 12 hours of birth to prevent transmission of hepatitis B. All newborns in the U.S. should receive the hepatitis B vaccination and HBIG at birth!

People chronically infected with HBV should… Get screened regularly for liver cancer and liver damage TestScreens For:Frequency of Test ALT (alanine aminotransferase) Liver damageEvery 6 months AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) Liver cancerEvery 6 months UltrasoundLiver cancerEvery year

HBsAg test ALT vaccine ultrasoundAFP HBsAb test immunity! Maintain regular checkups Treatment o avoid alcohol o get hep A shot o interferon o lamivudine o adefovir 3 shots in 6 mo. Every 6 mo. Every year * Note: HBsAg and HBsAb tests can be done at the same time positivenegative normal abnormal positive negative

Be informed – 1 in 10 API are infected with hepatitis B –“Silent killer” –Transmitted through BBS Most common mode: Mother to child Protect yourself –Get tested –Get vaccinated –Get treated Protect & educate your family Join the Jade Ribbon Campaign Unite against hepatitis B and liver cancer! Remember…

The Jade Ribbon Campaign Launched in 2001 Mission: Increase awareness about hepatitis b and provide ethnic- sensitive health information to API community Jade = Longevity and good luck Folded in shape of “person” to represent all voices united against hepatitis B and liver cancer.

UNITE AGAINST HEPATITIS B GET INVOLVED