Hepatitis B is known as a silent killer. It affects 1 out of 10 African Americans and Asian Americans.

Many individuals infected with Hepatitis B feel healthy and are not aware of the infection. Blood tests taken at regular visits to the doctor may even indicate that liver enzymes are normal in the presence of chronic Hepatitis B.

Since approximately 30 percent of people infected with Hepatitis B don’t have signs or symptoms, emphasizing the importance of vaccination and screening are crucial to prevent this silent disease. If left untreated, Hepatitis B can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver failure and death.

Most people infected with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) do not know they are infected because they have not been tested. HBV can be prevented with an effective vaccine. The Hepatitis B vaccine series is usually given as three shots during a six-month period. The entire series is needed for long-term protection.

Each year approximately 700,000 people die of liver cancer or liver disease caused by hepatitis B. Because liver cancer is the third most common form of cancer death in the world, and the majority is attributable to hepatitis B, HBV is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide.

Despite the availability of the hepatitis B vaccine since 1982, vaccination rates are low in many populations, leaving many children unvaccinated and many adults chronically infected throughout the world, including in the US. The implementation of routine vaccinations of infants in 1992 and adolescents in 1995, is expected to contribute to the decline of the prevalence of the hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis B is a worldwide healthcare problem, especially in developing areas. An estimated one third of the global population has been infected with the hepatitis B virus.

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http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=6634
http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=8526&lvl=3&lvlID=551
http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=7240
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/177632-overview