HEPATITIS B

Did you know 1 in 10 A&PIs is chronically infected with hepatitis B? Half of the people in the US living with hepatitis B are A&PIs, and A&PIs account for half of all hepatitis B related deaths in the US. In fact, hepatitis B related liver cancer is one of the leading causes of death for A&PI men in California.

You may also not know that hepatitis B is completely preventable through a vaccination. In fact, a lot of people may not know: One-third of A&PIs living in San Francisco haven't been vaccinated for hepatitis B.

HEPATITIS B BASICS

Download our Hepatitis B Fact Sheet

WHAT IS HEPATITIS B?

Hepatitis refers to any disease that inflames the liver, regardless of how it was contracted. HBV is the virus that causes hepatitis B. Chronic hep B infection can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. Worldwide, 60-80% of primary liver cancer is caused by chronic HBV infection.

HOW IS HBV TRANSMITTED?

HBV is transmitted very much like HIV. Blood transfusions, dirty needles, and unprotected sex are ways that you can contract HBV, but usually HBV is passed from mother to child at birth. HBV is not transmitted through air, food, water, breastfeeding, casual contact like kissing, hugging, sharing utensils or dishes. However, HBV differs from HIV with respect to how long it can live outside the body. HIV is very weak, and can be killed easily. HBV on the other hand is robust, and can survive over 7 days outside the body. Spread of HBV within the household can occur from sharing toothbrushes or razors.

WHY SHOULD ASIANS & PACIFIC ISLANDERS CARE ABOUT HEP B?

1 IN 10 ASIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS ARE CHRONICALLY INFECTED WITH HEP B

In many Asian and Pacific Islander (A&PI) countries, HBV, the virus that causes hepatitis B, is endemic. The Asian Liver Center estimates that of the 350 million people worldwide living with chronic hepatitis B, 78%, or 275 million live in the Asia & Pacific region. In fact, in many Asian countries, 5-20% of the population is chronically infected.

Here in the US, 1 in 10 A&PIs is chronically infected with hepatitis B. A&PIs account for half of all chronic hepatitis B infections nationwide. An unchecked infection can lead to liver cancer and in California, liver cancer is a leading cause of death for many A&PI men (#1 cause of death for Laotian men, #2 for Vietnamese and Cambodian men, #4 for Chinese and Korean men, and #5 for Filipino men). While the most common transmission route may be mother-to-child, it is important to remember that hepatitis B is also spread through sex, blood and other bodily fluids.

HEP B IN SAN FRANCISCO

While data is inconclusive, two San Francisco Department of Public Health surveys indicated that over 75% of chronic hepatitis B infections are among A&PIs. A University of California San Francisco study estimates that 1 in 3 A&PIs have never been vaccinated for hepatitis B. The same two SFDPH studies indicated that between 10-20% of survey respondents were men who have sex with men. While transmission methods were not explore in either study, it is important to remember that hepatitis B is spread from mother to child as well as through blood transfusions, dirty needles, unprotected sex, and exposure to bodily fluids.

KNOW YOUR RISK FOR HEP B

CAN I TELL IF I HAVE HEP B?

No. You need to be screened to really know if you have hep B. Most people who are chronically infected don't realize it until it's too late. Two-thirds of HBV cases don't exhibit any symptoms, making HBV a silent killer in A&PI communities. If symptoms do develop, they mirror the fl u: fever, fatigue, joint and/or muscle pain, nausea and vomiting. Jaundice may or may not develop.

COULD I BE AT RISK FOR HEP B?

Yes, you could be at risk if you have never been vaccinated for hepatitis B. You could be at heightened risk for hepatitis B if you live with someone who is chronically infected, if you have multiple sex partners, or are a man who has sex with men. Other people at risk are injection drug users, travelers to countries in the Asia-Pacific region with high hep B incidence, and persons who have occupational exposure to blood or bodily fluids.

WHAT CAN I DO?

You can reduce the number of risk factors you have by doing things like reducing the number of sex partners you have or using condoms during sex. However, the SAFEST and MOST EFFECTIVE way to eliminate your risk is to get vaccinated for hep B. Get vaccinated once and protect yourself for life!

GET SCREENED!

A hepatitis B screening will tell you if you are already infected with hep B. If you have hep B, knowing your status will help you treat and manage the disease so you don't develop liver cancer or other life-threatening complications. Knowledge will also help you protect your friends and loved ones from infection; without it, you could unknowingly transmit the disease to the people you care about.

If you find out you don't have hep B, you can get vaccinated to protect yourself from future infection.

Find a hepatitis B screening center, or ask your doctor for a screening. There are two tests you need, a hepatitis B 'surface antigen' and a 'surface anitbody'. If you go to your doctor, chances are that these tests are not included in your annual physical bloodwork. You will need to request them. At many community health centers, screenings are free or offered at a very low cost.

Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center offers free hep B screenings and vaccinations in San Francisco. You can also download a list of no- or low-cost screening sites for the city. For the rest of the Bay Area, state and nation, visit the CDC National HIV & STD Testing Resources directory for sites.

GET VACCINATED!

Get vaccinated once and protect yourself for life!

Currently, there is no cure for hepatitis B and liver cancer is a costly and long term illness. If your tests come back negative, you should get vaccinated for hepatitis B. This vaccine is safe and effective and only requires three shots scheduled over a series of weeks. You cannot contract hepatitis B by getting vaccinated. Newborns should be vaccinated at birth. Vaccination is the single most powerful and responsible action you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones.

GET TREATED!

If your test comes back positive, you'll need to work with your doctor to determine the right course of action. You'll need to make sure to get semi-annual blood tests and annual liver ultrasounds to ensure your liver is healthy. Not all people chronically infected with hepatitis B need treatment, but only your doctor can determine the appropriate course of action.

RESOURCES

• Asian Liver Center: Stanford Hospital's Asian Liver Center website has helpful information, facts and quizzes to assess your knowledge and risk for hepatitis B.
• B Free CEED: New York University National Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Hepatitis B Disparities: A national resource and expert center on eliminating hepatitis B health disparities among Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders.
• San Francisco Department of Public Health, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention: Articles and data on hepatitis B in San Francisco.
• Hep B Free San Francisco: Hepatitis B resources in San Francisco.

News and Events

Upcoming BTP Online Training on Wednesday, Feb 22: "Social Networking Media: Disseminating your messages online." Register for this training now!

For 2011, we developed a series of 3 posters to capture the diversity in our community. Download all 3 posters. Download the Pacific Islander poster. Download the East Asian poster. Download the South Asian poster.