HBV is 100 times more infectious than the AIDS virus. Yet, hepatitis B can be prevented with a safe and effective vaccine. For the 400 million people worldwide who are already chronic carriers of HBV, the vaccine is of no use. However, the future is much brighter for carriers with the current advances in drug development. 

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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.

Visit our Glossary of Terms  for help with definitions of unfamiliar words or terms.

The following is a list of people who are at HIGH RISK for becoming infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). There is, however, a safe and effective vaccine to prevent this liver infection. If you have questions about your potential risk factors, talk to your physician or contact us.

Sexually active adults and teenagers 

Health, Dental, and Emergency Care personnel 

Adoptive families 

Injecting drug users

People who live with HBV Carriers

Children born to mothers who are HBV carriers

Men Having Sex with Men

People who get tattoos, ear piercing or body piercing

People who travel to high-risk countries - High risk countries include places in which over two percent of the population are HBV carriers, which include Asia, Africa, South America, and Eastern and Mediterranean Europe.

When a healthy adult is infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), his or her body can respond in several different ways. The following is a list of some of the possible symptoms of HBV infection.

• HBV causes no symptoms at all in about 50 percent of cases.

• Approximately 49 percent of the people who are infected will have some symptoms. The usual signs and symptoms of HBV may include fever, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. When infected with HBV, many people think they have the flu and do not attribute their symptoms to HBV infection.

• A very small number, about one percent, develop life-threatening acute fulminant hepatitis from the virus. These people may suddenly collapse with fatigue, have yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) and develop swelling in their abdomen. Acute fulminant hepatitis develops very suddenly and acutely, and can be fatal if not treated immediately.
• About 90 percent of the total number of people infected with HBV will develop antibodies against the disease and will totally clear the virus from their bodies. Although they may experience some symptoms, these people will recover without complication.
• About 5-10 percent of adults who are infected with HBV will never develop antibodies to the virus and will become chronic hepatitis B carriers, often without even knowing it. Chronic carriers have an increased risk of developing liver disease such as cirrhosis or liver cancer, because the hepatitis B virus steadily attacks the liver. Chronic carriers will usually have on going inflammation of the liver and may eventually develop cirrhosis and liver cancer. 

There is a safe and effective vaccine against hepatitis B. You can protect yourself and your loved ones by getting vaccinated! Please be sure to tell others that hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable disease.

HBV Vaccine

Support Groups can be very helpful for those whose lives are affected by hepatitis B. There are several excellent online support groups for adults and parents of children living with hepatitis B. For more information, please contact the Hepatitis B Foundation.