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  • Global leader, physician treating people living with hepatitis B takes new role with Hepatitis B Foundation

    Su Wang, MD, MPH, FACP, will be the Foundation’s Senior Advisor for Global Health. Doylestown, Pa., March 27, 2023 – Su Wang, MD, MPH, FACP, a prominent leader in the global hepatitis community and a member the Hepatitis B Foundation’s Board of Directors, has become the Foundation’s first Senior Advisor for Global Health.  Dr. Su Wang This position will leverage Dr. Wang’s expertise to help lead the Foundation’s global advocacy and engagement programs, by representing the Foundation at specific meetings and activities, developing partnerships and helping strengthen the international hepatitis B movement. “Dr. Wang is a truly dedicated advocate for improving awareness, screening, linkage-to-care and treatment for people living with hepatitis B,” Chari A. Cohen, DrPH, MPH, president of the Foundation, said. “I’m thrilled that Dr. Wang, who has worked with us for many years and is a recognized leader worldwide, has agreed to take this prominent new position.” A practicing internist, Dr. Wang is medical director of Viral Hepatitis Programs and the Center for Asian Health at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, RWJBarnabas Health in Livingston, N.J. She also is living with hepatitis B, having been diagnosed as a college student when she donated blood. “I am excited to apply my lived experience of hepatitis B and work as a physician and advocate to elevate hepatitis B globally in my new position at the Foundation.” says Dr. Wang. Dr. Wang is the immediate past president of the World Hepatitis Alliance, a patient-led international organization whose mission is to harness the power of people living with viral hepatitis to achieve its elimination. The Hepatitis B Foundation presented its Community Commitment Award to Dr. Wang at its annual Gala on March 10. In her response, Dr. Wang said the organization plays a unique role in the hepatitis B community. “I’d like to thank Joan Block, Tim Block, Chari Cohen and the entire team at the Hepatitis B Foundation for all you’ve created and accomplished,” Dr. Wang said. “Thank you for bringing into the light what has been in the darkness for too long, for speaking out on behalf of us, for fighting for our rights, for fighting for a cure, and for never giving up. Thank you for creating a home for us.”

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/global-leader-physician-treating-people-living-with-hepatitis-b-takes-new-role-with-hepatitis-b-foundation/
  • Growing Older with Hepatitis B: Why Testing for Liver Damage Still Matters

    Image courtesy of Witthaya Phonsawat at FreeDigitalPhotos.net Around the world, older adults bear the greatest burden of hepatitis B. Born before the childhood vaccination became available, about 4.7 percent of U.S. adults over age 50 have been infected and their chronic hepatitis B rate is nearly two-fold higher than in younger adults. The 50-plus generation has lived with with chronic hepatitis B for decades, and over time their risk of liver damage, cirrhosis, and cancer has steadily increased. That is why it is very important that older adults living with this infection see their physicians regularly and have tests for liver damage and cancer performed as needed. Our immune system and liver weaken with age: With age, our immune system loses its edge. Think chicken pox—that virus stays dormant in the body and emerges as shingles later in life when aging immune systems can no longer keep the virus in check. As our immune systems age and weaken, they may no longer be able to suppress reproduction of the hepatitis B virus and you may notice an increase in your viral load (HBV DNA). Even when there is no notable increase in viral load, you can still experience liver damage, scarring (cirrhosis) and even cancer as you age. This is why getting your alanine aminotransferase (ALT) tested regularly for tell-tale signs of liver damage is essential. When estrogen declines, women may be at greater risk of liver damage: Estrogen appears to confer some protection against liver damage, but as women age and estrogen levels decline, their risk of liver damage increases, which means monitoring may need to occur more frequently. The liver loses its resiliency with age: According to researchers, over time our livers lose some of their ability to regenerate and their blood flow and screening capacity declines, leaving them more vulnerable to inflammation, scarring and cancer from the hepatitis B virus that hijacks liver cells to replicate. Decades of exposure to environmental

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/growing-older-with-hepatitis-b-why-testing-for-liver-damage-still-matters/
  • Expert Calls for Viral Load Testing in All Pregnant Women with Hepatitis B

    Dr. Ravi Jhaveri, an infectious disease specialist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, talks to parents. Today, all pregnant women are routinely screened for hepatitis B, but a growing number of doctors say this single test doesn't go far enough to protect the health of women and children. In a commentary published in the medical journal Pediatrics,  infectious disease specialist Dr. Ravi Jhaveri calls for a mandatory second test in pregnant women infected with hepatitis B. This test would measure the amount of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in her body (called viral load). When women have high viral loads, their newborns can become infected even if they are immunized at birth and treated with HBIG (hepatitis B antibodies) to prevent infection. Dr. Jhaveri, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, knows this first-hand. He has patients who became infected despite vaccination and HBIG treatment because of their mothers' high viral loads. Infection occurs when newborns are exposed to these mothers' highly infectious blood during delivery. In the past, when anguished parents asked Dr. Jhaveri why their children became infected, he could offer no explanation or treatment to lower the risk. "But now we can," he told the Hepatitis B Foundation. Doctors now have potent, antiviral drugs that safely lower viral load in pregnant women and reduce the risk of mother-to-child infection to nearly zero. Before immunizations, nearly all infants born to infected women developed chronic hepatitis B. Today, immunization within 12 hours of birth and use of HBIG reduces mother-to-child infection by 95 percent. But despite those prevention efforts, infection still occurs in 3-5 percent of infants born to women who: Test positive for the hepatitis B "e" antigen (HBeAg), which is present when viral load is high, And have viral loads (HBV DNA) that exceed 20,000

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/expert-calls-for-viral-load-testing-in-all-pregnant-women-with-hepatitis-b/
  • Highlights of the New WHO Chronic Hepatitis B Guidelines

    Have you had an opportunity to take a look at the new World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the treatment of those with chronic hepatitis B? Guidelines developed by other medical organizations including AASLD, EASL, and APASL were focused mainly on the prevention, care and treatment of hepatitis B for those living in higher income countries. The new WHO guidelines were developed with low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) in mind, though they are certainly applicable in high-income countries as well. These new WHO guidelines have it all: epidemiology and the global burden, virology, natural history of the virus, transmission, screening and prevention, diagnosis and treatment along with monitoring of both HBV infection and liver cancer. Although it may initially appear daunting, you'll find the guidelines well organized, and thorough, with dark-blue boxed "Recommendations" and  light-blue boxed "Rationales for Recommendations". WHO recommendations even broach the topics of availability and cost. The guidelines provide a framework for the development or strengthening of hepatitis B treatment programs. Target audiences include ministry of health policy makers in LMICs, non-governmental agencies and health care professionals organizing screening and treatment services, along with clinicians managing patients with chronic hepatitis B. They are also very helpful for those living with chronic hepatitis B interested in taking a more informed, active role in their care. The WHO guidelines prioritize treatment for those with clinical evidence of compensated or decompensated cirrhosis. This determination is made based on the APRI (AST to platelet ratio index) score acquired through inexpensive, non-invasive means and include AST and platelet count blood tests.  ALT levels, HBeAg status, HBV DNA levels (if available), age and other factors are also taken into account when determining who should or should not be considered for treatment. (Please note the following

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/highlights-of-the-new-who-chronic-hepatitis-b-guidelines/
  • HBV Journal Review - January 2015

    HBF is pleased to connect our blog readers to Christine Kukka’s monthly HBV Journal Review that she writes for the HBV Advocate. The journal presents the
 latest in hepatitis B research, treatment, and prevention from recent academic and medical journals. This month, the following topics are explored: Having Hepatitis B and a Family Member with Cancer Raises Cancer Risk Dramatically VA Tests Only 21.8% of Its Patients for Hepatitis B, Missing Many at Risk of Infection Research Shows Importance of HBV Screening Before Chemotherapy Begins Younger Age and Low HBsAgLevels Benefit Patients Who Stop Antivirals Doctors Debate Benefits of Interferon vs. Antiviral Treatment New Study Finds Fibroscan Accuracy on Par with Liver Biopsies Mild Kidney Problems and Bone Loss Linked to Antivirals Hepatitis B Vaccine Effectiveness Challenged January 1, 2015 Volume 12, No 11 by Christine M. Kukka Having Hepatitis B and a Family Member with Cancer Raises Cancer Risk Dramatically Having a hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and an immediate family member–especially a mother–with liver cancer significant increases one's cancer risk, according to a report published in a Chinese hepatology journal. Researchers found liver cancer rates to be 59% higher in HBV-infected individuals with a family history of liver cancer, compared to uninfected individuals with no family history of cancer. Chinese researchers followed 708 HBV-infected patients and 730 uninfected individuals in Qidong City to see how much a hepatitis B infection and/or having a family member with liver cancer increased participants' cancer risk. Researchers regularly assessed participants' liver health and screened them for cancer twice a year over the 20-year study. The incidence of liver cancer in those with HBV infection and liver cancer in their immediate family was 1,244 per 100,000 person years. In contrast, the incidence was 509 per 100,000 person years in individuals (infected and uninfected) without a family

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/hbv-journal-review-january-2015/
  • Hepatitis B Positive Speakers Discuss HepB with Geraldine Doogue

    Heartfelt discussion with the "Hepatitis B Positive Speakers Group", led by Australia's Geraldine Doogue, ABC TV and Radio. Join Yvonne, David, Trevor, Linh and "Tina", as they discuss their personal hepatitis B experiences -living with the stigma, and discrimination you can both see and "not quite put your finger on", and their willingness to give back, and to increase community awareness. If you're on the Hepatitis B Information and Support Listserve, you may recognize Yvonne, one of the list moderators who mentions the emotional support she gets from her her cyber friends.  Thank you Hepatitis Australia for sharing this discussion!    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbQsAHXxDqw

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/hepatitis-b-positive-speakers-discuss-hepb-with-geraldine-doogue/
  • What should I do if I am diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B?

    If you test positive for the hepatitis B virus for longer than 6 months, this indicates that you have a chronic hepatitis B infection. You should make an appointment with a hepatologist (liver specialist) or gastroenterologist familiar with hepatitis B. This specialist will order blood tests and possibly a liver ultrasound to evaluate your hepatitis B status and the health of your liver. Your doctor will probably want to see you at least once or twice a year to monitor your hepatitis B and determine if you would benefit from treatment. Most people chronically infected with hepatitis B can expect to live long, healthy lives. You can support your liver by avoiding alcohol, avoiding smoking and maintaining a healthy weight by eating a well-balanced diet and getting regular exercise. Here is more information on how to maintain a healthy liver. Once you are diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, the virus may stay in your blood and liver for a lifetime. It is important to know that you can pass the virus along to others, even if you don’t feel sick. This is why it’s so important that you make sure that all close household contacts and sex partners are tested and vaccinated against hepatitis B. Please visit our webpage to learn more about hepatitis B transmission, and how to protect your loved ones. Additional Resources: Healthy Liver Tips Hepatitis B Transmission Find more Frequently Asked Questions here.  Page updated 02/09/2022

    https://www.hepb.org/what-is-hepatitis-b/faqs/what-should-i-do-if-i-am-diagnosed-with-chronic-hepatitis-b/
  • Hepatitis B Foundation stands in solidarity with black communities, calls for action against institutional racism

    Doylestown, Pa., June 4, 2020  The tragic killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and Ahmaud Arbery in recent weeks have highlighted institutional racism and injustice towards Black Americans and communities of color in the United States. We have seen lives tragically lost due to institutionalized racism and police brutality. This comes at a time when communities of color are already disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 in addition to a number of other health disparities, including hepatitis B. These recent events are devastating to communities of color in the U.S. Institutionalized racism is a public health crisis, and we must all work together to address it. As a nonprofit organization, the Hepatitis B Foundation has spent 30 years dedicated to improving the lives of underserved and underrepresented communities. We are committed to working with our colleagues around the world to achieve social justice for all communities. Black lives matter and we strongly stand with our partners and communities fighting for justice and equity. As a national public health institution, we are aware that an individual’s socioeconomic status, ethnicity and zip code can dictate their life expectancy and overall health outcomes. Many of the populations we devote our work to are communities of color and we will continue to fight together to address health inequities for our most vulnerable populations as we have always done. We call on our leaders to take action that will contribute to positive change in both culture and policy to ensure the safety and health of our most vulnerable communities. We at the Foundation are committed to self-reflection on how we can improve as an organization of diversity and inclusion. We will continue to advocate on behalf of the communities we serve, and to work with our partners around the U.S. and the world to repair the systems that enable racism to impact the lives and health of our communities. # # #  

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/hepatitis-b-foundation-stands-in-solidarity-with-black-communities-calls-for-action-against-institutional-racism/
  • Hep B United Applauds Bipartisan Legislation to Combat the Opioid Crisis and Opioid Related Infectious Diseases

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 24, 2018) – Hep B United today released the following statement, commending Congress for working together to pass the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act. The legislation was signed into law by the president, following overwhelming bipartisan Congressional support. The legislation supports a range of services, programs, and funding, across multiple federal agencies, to help combat the nation’s ongoing opioid epidemic and related infectious diseases, including hepatitis B. The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act brings together several pieces of legislation focused on different aspects of the opioid epidemic, from promoting evidence-based prevention strategies, to researching new, non-addictive pain management drugs, and expanding access to substance use disorder treatment. The package includes the Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018, which authorizes $40 million annually for five years to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support state and local data collection on infectious diseases that can be spread through injection drug use – such as viral hepatitis, including hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV), HIV, and infective endocarditis – as well as to increase viral hepatitis and HIV testing, prevention, and linkage to care and treatment. “We commend this legislation for addressing viral hepatitis as one of the long-term public health consequences of the opioid crisis and for authorizing much-needed resources to prevent further spread of hepatitis B and other infectious diseases,” said Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, vice president for public health and programs at the Hepatitis B Foundation and co-chair of Hep B United. “Improving hepatitis B testing, vaccination, and linkage to care among high-risk populations, including people who inject drugs, is a critical strategy in the fight to eliminate hepatitis B, and we are glad to see Congress has incorporated these activities in their response to the opioid epidemic.” In 2015, the number of acute hepatitis B cases nationwide increased by 20.7%, rising for the first time since 2006. In recent years, the largest increases in acute HBV infection have occurred primarily in states heavily impacted by opioid addiction, including Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Maine. Despite the availability of a highly effective vaccine to prevent new cases of hepatitis B, low rates of HBV vaccination coverage among adults – less than 25% overall – and increased rates of injection drug use has left a large segment of the population at high risk for HBV infection. Unlike hepatitis C, there is no cure for hepatitis B. If left undiagnosed and untreated, chronic hepatitis B can lead to serious and costly complications, and it is a leading cause of liver cancer. “We are pleased that Congress and the administration are taking this important step towards providing relief for families and communities affected by this ongoing public health crisis,” said Jeffrey Caballero, MPH, executive director of the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) and co-chair of Hep B United. “We look forward to continuing our work together to ensure individuals living with hepatitis B and others impacted by the opioid crisis have access to the care and support they need.” About Hepatitis B: Hepatitis B is the most common serious liver infection in the world. It is caused by the hepatitis B virus that attacks and injures the liver. Each year up to 1 million people die from hepatitis B worldwide despite the fact that it is preventable and treatable. Hepatitis B is a “silent epidemic” because most people do not have symptoms when they are newly infected or chronically infected. Thus, they can unknowingly spread the virus to others and continue the silent spread of hepatitis B. For people who are chronically infected but don’t have any symptoms, their liver is still being silently damaged which can develop into serious liver disease such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. About Hep B United: Hep B United is a national coalition co-chaired by the Hepatitis B Foundation and the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations dedicated to reducing the health disparities associated with hepatitis B by increasing awareness, screening, vaccination, and linkage to care for high-risk communities across the United States. To learn more, visit www.hepbunited.org. About the Hepatitis B Foundation: The Hepatitis B Foundation is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure for hepatitis B and improving the quality of life for those affected worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy. To learn more, visit www.hepb.org, read our blog at hepb.org/blog, follow us on Twitter @HepBFoundation, find us on Facebook at facebook.com/hepbfoundation or call 215-489-4900. About the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations: The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) is a national association of community health organizations dedicated to promoting advocacy, collaboration, and leadership that improves the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders in the United States. To learn more, visit www.aapcho.org. # # #

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/opioid/
  • Commonly Asked Questions

    If you test positive for the hepatitis B virus for longer than 6 months, this indicates that you have a chronic hepatitis B infection. You should make an appointment with a hepatologist (liver specialist) or gastroenterologist familiar with hepatitis B. This specialist will order blood tests and possibly a liver ultrasound to evaluate your hepatitis B status and the health of your liver. Your doctor will probably want to see you at least once or twice a year to monitor your hepatitis B and determine if you would benefit from treatment. Most people chronically infected with hepatitis B can expect to live long, healthy lives. Once you are diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, the virus may stay in your blood and liver for a lifetime. It is important to know that you can pass the virus along to others, even if you don’t feel sick. This is why it’s so important that you make sure that all close household contacts and sex partners are tested and vaccinated against hepatitis B. Right now, there is no cure for chronic hepatitis B, but the good news is there are treatments that can help slow the progression of liver disease in chronically infected persons by slowing down the virus. If there is less hepatitis B virus being produced, then there is less damage being done to the liver. Sometimes these drugs can even get rid of the virus, although this is not common.  With all of the new exciting research, there is great hope that a complete cure will soon be found for chronic hepatitis B. Visit our Drug Watch for a list of other promising drugs in development. It is important to understand that not every person with chronic hepatitis B needs to be on medication. You should talk to your doctor about whether you are a good candidate for drug therapy or a clinical trial. Be sure that you understand the pros and cons of each treatment option. Whether you decide to start treatment or not, you should be seen regularly by a liver specialist or a doctor knowledgeable about hepatitis B. No. The blood bank will not accept any blood that has been exposed to hepatitis B, even if you have recovered from an acute infection. 

    https://www.hepb.org/treatment-and-management/adults-with-hepatitis-b/commonly-asked-questions/