Hepatitis B is the most common serious liver infection in the world.  It is contagious and is caused by the hepatitis B virus, which attacks the liver and causes short-term and/or long-term liver inflammation (hepatitis), cirrhosis (scarring), liver failure, liver cancer, or death. The virus is transmitted through blood and infected bodily fluids. This can occur through direct blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sex, sharing needles, and from an infected woman to her newborn during the delivery process.

Some people with chronic hepatitis B infection have no symptoms initially but can eventually develop liver disease.  Without proper monitoring and treatment, 1 in 4 people with chronic hepatitis B will eventually die from liver disease.

Hepatitis B poses a great threat to Vietnamese Americans.  One out of seven Vietnamese Americans has chronic hepatitis B.  Among Vietnamese Americans, hepatitis B is much more prevalent than the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes the disease, AIDS. Many Vietnamese Americans contracted hepatitis B as infants (during the birthing process) or as children.  Most had no symptoms and never knew they were infected.

For more details on hepatitis B,
please click here to read our bilingual pamphlet “Do I Have Hepatitis B?”