Hepatitis B Basics A silent killer The cause

Hepatitis B Basics

? ? “A silent killer” The cause of up to 80% of liver cancer cases worldwide 10 X more common and 100 X more infectious than HIV

Hepatitis B is… Inflammation of the liver caused by infection by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

A Healthy Liver o Major role in metabolism and detoxification o Fights against infections and controls bleeding

CHRONIC Hepatitis B is… A life-long disease. Once infected there is NO cure. It can cause: Liver failure/cirrhosis (scarring) Liver cancer And ultimately, premature death!!!

Even if you feel perfectly healthy… o You could still be chronically infected with HBV o Most people with chronic HBV infection have no symptoms o Blood tests for liver enzymes are often normal Chronic HBV infection: A Silent Killer in API Community

Transmission: B. B. S Hepatitis B is spread through… Blood Birth Sex

Transmission Myths: Water Saliva Air Hepatitis B is NOT transmitted through: Breastfeeding Food Sharing utensils

Who does HBV affect? 1/3 of the world’s population has been infected at one point in time. That’s 2 billion people! 350 - 400 million people worldwide are chronically infected. in 20 people! Compare this to the 35 million with HIV/AIDS. Without appropriate monitoring or treatment, 1 in 4 with chronic hepatitis B will die of liver cancer. This leads to 1 -2 deaths every minute… That is 1

Why should Asians & Pacific Islanders be concerned?

Asian & Pacific Islander Population HBV is the greatest health disparity between API and general population. 1 in 10 APIs is chronically infected with HBV, compared to 1 in 1, 000 for Caucasian Americans. 1 -1. 5 million affected in the United States 1 in 12 Korean-Americans 1 in 10 Chinese-Americans 1 in 8 Vietnamese-Americans

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Get Tested! o Simple blood test o Hepatitis B surface antigen test (HBs. Ag) o Positive (+): has hepatitis B o Negative (-): does not have hepatitis B o Hepatitis B surface antibody test (HBs. Ab) o Positive (+): has immunity o Negative (-): does not have immunity “Silent Killer” Remember, chronic hepatitis B usually DOES NOT have any symptoms until it is too late. Get tested today!

Get Vaccinated! o If you are: Hepatitis B surface antigen (-) & hepatitis B surface antibody ( -), then you are susceptible and should get the vaccine o The first “anti-cancer” vaccine - CDC o Confers life-long protection “ 3 for life” 1 st shot 2 nd shot 3 rd shot (1 month later) (5 months later) Total: 6 -month, 3 shot series

Get Treatment! o If you have chronic hepatitis B: o There is NO cure, but hepatitis B can be managed o Everyone is different; discuss treatment with doctor o Important regular check-ups o ALT for liver damage and AFP for liver cancer, 6 months o Ultrasound, 12 months o Can still live a long and healthy life with appropriate monitoring and treatment

UNITE AGAINST HEPATITIS B: WHAT YOU CAN DO

Protect Your Liver o If you have chronic hepatitis B, you should also: o Avoid drinking alcohol o Get the hepatitis A vaccination

Protect Your Family o Spread the word! o Make sure family members are tested and vaccinated o Expecting mothers can protect their newborns by making sure that their doctors administer to their newborns the necessary shots!

Mothers with chronic hepatitis B can protect their babies o Her newborn should be given two shots: o The first shot of the 3 -shot hepatitis B vaccine AND o The HBIG (hepatitis B immunoglobulin) shot o These need to be given within 12 hours of birth to prevent transmission of hepatitis B. All newborns in the U. S. should receive the hepatitis B vaccination and HBIG at birth!

People chronically infected with HBV should… Get screened regularly for liver cancer and liver damage Test Screens For: Frequency of Test ALT (alanine aminotransferase) Liver damage Every 6 months AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) Liver cancer Every 6 months Ultrasound Liver cancer Every year

* Note: HBs. Ag and HBs. Ab tests can be done at the same time HBs. Ag test positive negative HBs. Ab test AFP ultrasound Every 6 mo. Every year al no rm pos tive al rm no ab Maintain regular checkups nega itiv e ALT immunity! vaccine Treatment 3 shots in 6 mo. o avoid alcohol o interferon o get hep A shot o lamivudine o adefovir

Remember… • Be informed – 1 in 10 API are infected with hepatitis B – “Silent killer” – Transmitted through BBS • Most common mode: Mother to child • Protect yourself – Get tested – Get vaccinated – Get treated • Protect & educate your family • Join the Jade Ribbon Campaign • Unite against hepatitis B and liver cancer!

The Jade Ribbon Campaign • Launched in 2001 • Mission: Increase awareness about hepatitis b and provide ethnic-sensitive health information to API community • Jade = Longevity and good luck • Folded in shape of “person” to represent all voices united against hepatitis B and liver cancer.

UNITE AGAINST HEPATITIS B GET INVOLVED