Hepatitis B in
Asian-Americans
 Statistics
 What You Should Do
 HBV Blood Tests
 Hepatitis B Vaccination
 What Every Carrier
Should Know
 Liver Cancer
 Hepatitis A
 Physicians and Healthcare Workers
 Hepatitis B Myths
 Patient's Rights
 Educational Materials
 Personal Experiences

English | 繁體 | 简体 | 한국어 | tiếng Việt

Hepatitis B is a disease caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Infection with HBV can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, and liver cancer. 80% of liver cancer worldwide is caused by chronic HBV infection.

While 0.3% of the U.S. population has chronic hepatitis B infection, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (API) make up more than half of the 1.3-1.5 million known hepatitis B carriers in the U.S. Depending on the country of origin, 5-15% of API immigrants are hepatitis B carriers. In some Pacific Rim countries, as many as 10-20% of the population are hepatitis B carriers.

Despite the availability of the hepatitis B vaccine, vaccination rates are low and hepatitis B remains a global health problem. Therefore, many children worldwide remain unvaccinated and many adults may be chronic carriers. In the United States, many API youth and adults have not been tested or vaccinated. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 350-400 million people with chronic hepatitis B and many are not even aware of their condition. Although most hepatitis B carriers have no symptoms, they can still transmit the infection and develop liver cancer.

Although hepatitis B can be transmitted by blood transfusions, sharing or reusing needles for injection or tattoos, and unprotected sex, many APIs become infected when they are infants or young children. Frequently, transmission of the hepatitis B virus occurs during the birthing process when the virus is passed on from the mother (who is often unaware that she is a carrier and has chronic hepatitis B) to her child. It can also be transmitted during early childhood through direct contact with blood of infected individuals, occurring from contact between open wounds, sharing contaminated toothbrushes or razors, or through contaminated medical/dental tools.

The danger of hepatitis B lies in its silent transmission and progression. Many chronic hepatitis B carriers have no symptoms and feel healthy. Carriers may exhibit normal blood tests for liver function and be granted a clean bill of health. The diagnosis of cannot be made unless the doctor orders a specific blood test that tests for the presence of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), a marker for chronic infection. Since the detection of hepatitis B is so easily missed, even by doctors, it is up to the patient to specifically request the HBsAg test. Early detection not only benefits the carrier, but will also prevent the infection from being passed silently from one child to another, and from one generation to another.

Without appropriate management and screening, one in four hepatitis B carriers (25%) dies from liver cancer or cirrhosis (liver damage leading to scarring and eventually death from liver failure). Some develop cancer as early as 30 years of age. Every year, approximately one million people worldwide die from the disease because they are diagnosed past the point where current treatment can be effective. Because so many carriers feel perfectly healthy even with early liver cancer, the disease can progress without the carrier even knowing. When symptoms do appear, it is often only at the late stages of their disease. All chronic hepatitis B carriers, whether they feel healthy or sick, are at risk for developing liver cancer or cirrhosis. Finding the cancer when it is small by regular screening remains the best chance of surviving liver cancer.

Hepatitis B is one of the largest health threats for Asians. Thus it is important for all APIs to be checked for hepatitis B and vaccinated if not previously exposed. Because hepatitis B is the major cause of liver cancer, the hepatitis B vaccine, which prevents hepatitis B infection, is also regarded as "the first anti-cancer vaccine."

Hepatitis B is NOT transmitted through food/water.
Hepatitis B is NOT transmitted through casual contact such as hugging or shaking hands.
Hepatitis B is NOT transmitted through kissing, sneezing or coughing.
Hepatitis B is NOT transmitted through breastfeeding.

A comprehensive guide to Hepatitis B. Download (PDF).

Go to Statistics



---

- Copyright 2005 Asian Liver Center at Stanford University -