Worldwide incidence of Hepatitis B

IMMUNOLOGY:A Shadow Falls on Hepatitis B Vaccination Effort

Hepatitis B seems to be the perfect target for a vaccine. Spreading quietly through blood contact, sex, and birth, the virus currently infects 350 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)--mostly without producing symptoms.

WHO Hepatitis B Fact Sheet

Of the 2 billion people who have been infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), more than 350 million have chronic (lifelong) infections.

High rates of chronic HBV infection are also found in the Amazon and the southern parts of Eastern and Central Europe.  In the Middle East and Indian sub-continent, about 5% are chronically infected.  Infection is less common in Western Europe and North America, where less than 1% are chronically infected.

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Hepatitis B is one of the world's most serious and widespread chronic diseases.

Hepatitis B Foundation - Facts on Hepatitis B

IN THE WORLD

• 1 out of 3 people have been infected with the hepatitis B virus.

• 400 million people are chronic carriers of HBV.
• Hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer.

• The World Health Organization estimates that hepatitis B infections lead to more than one million deaths every year.

IN THE UNITED STATES

• 1 out of 20 people have been infected with HBV.
• Each year 200,000 new people will become infected with HBV.
• There are more than one million chronic carriers of HBV. 
• One-third of the chronic HBV carriers in the United States do not know how they were infected with the disease.
• 5,000 people will die from hepatitis B and its complications every year.
• Approximately 2 health care workers are infected each day with HBV.

Boyce Thompson-developed oral plant vaccine receiving first human trials for hepatitis B at Roswell Park

More than 2 billion people worldwide are affected by the hepatitis B virus, a leading cause of liver cancer and the cause of more than 1 million deaths annually.

HepNet News Report

According to the World Health Organization, hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world and the ninth most common cause of death. An estimated one to two million people per year, or as many as 4,500 people every day, die from hepatitis B-related complications.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) - University of Leicester

There are >350m HBV carriers worldwide (total population of world ~6bn. = 5%).

Hepatitis, Viral, Type B - CDC

The prevalence of chronic HBV infection is high (>8%) in all socioeconomic groups in certain areas (see Map 3-3): all of Africa; Southeast Asia, including China, Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines; the Middle East, except Israel; south and western Pacific islands; the interior Amazon River basin; and certain parts of the Caribbean (that is, Haiti and the Dominican Republic). The prevalence of chronic HBV infection is intermediate (2% to 7%) in south central and southwest Asia, Israel,

Japan, eastern and southern Europe, Russia, most areas surrounding the Amazon River basin, Honduras, and Guatemala. In northern and western Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and southern South America, chronic HBV infection prevalence is low (<2%) in the general population.

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