ACIP review of the hepatitis B birth dose vaccination remains a grave concern - Please read more here.

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  • CHIPO Member Highlight: Africa Health Research Institute

    … with media outlets (TV/radio), the Department of Health (DoH), schools, the Department of Agriculture (DoA), local municipalities, and South African Police Services (SAPS), amongst others, to educate and raise awareness of these diseases within the populations most affected by them. More specifically, AHRI has recently put hepatitis on its strategic map by establishing the study entitled “Evaluation of Vukuzazi LiVEr disease - Hepatitis B: A study to determine the prevalence and characteristics of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the Vukuzazi population to inform interventions for diagnosis, treatment and prevention” (EVoLVE). See our website for more details: EVoLVE Hepatitis B Study - Africa Health Research Institute (ahri.org) EVoLVE aims to address the pressing need to develop insights into local population HBV epidemiology (considering vaccination, exposure and infection), to quantify the need for – and potential impact of – antiviral treatment. EVoLVE also aims to enhance local pathways for the assessment and provision of clinical care to people living with HBV infection in South Africa. Data collected as part of an interdisciplinary collaboration between clinical and social scientists, in consultation with communities, will be used to inform responsive and sensitive-to-context interventions specifically targeting those at greatest risk of infection and disease, and provide clinical care, support and education, whilst developing an evidence-based foundation for future studies. EVoLVE has already celebrated a successful collaboration between the clinical and human sciences by involving a Community Advisory Board (CAB) in the inductive development of community understanding and perceptions pertaining to the hepatitis B virus (HBV).  In January 2024, the AHRI EVoLVE Team participated in a community engagement with the AHRI CAB and conducted FibroScan training with AHRI clinical and research teams. (FibroScan is a non-invasive ultrasound that

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/chipo-member-highlight-africa-health-research-institute/
  • Why Access to Birth Dose Remains a Challenge Despite Availability of Vaccine. 

                      Birth dose is the most critical public health tool to prevent the spread of new hepatitis B infections among newborn children. Vaccination at birth provides lifelong protection against hepatitis B and reduces the chances of developing chronic hepatitis B. However, access to birth dose and vaccinations for children remains a challenge in many countries, especially countries low- and middle-income countries with high prevalence of hepatitis B, despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines.   Lack of Knowledge  Many communities are unaware of the hepatitis B virus and how it can cause severe damage to the liver, especially for newborn children. Mothers who deliver children at home or without appropriate medical care are also less likely to get the birth dose for their babies. Lack of knowledge about the spread of the virus and vaccination persists among some medical providers and professionals as well, making it harder for families to get birth dose for their children in a timely manner. Misconceptions about the virus and the vaccine also makes it difficult to get children vaccinated. Educational campaigns should focus on raising awareness about the hepatitis B virus and teaching communities about the role of the birth dose in preventing serious liver disease and death (Freeland et al., 2023). Cost and Transportation  Many families mentioned cost to be a barrier to getting the birth dose for their children. For some mothers, they were unable to deliver at health facilities or lacked safe transportation to get to a health facility to get their children vaccinated. For families who lived in rural areas, finding a nearby health facility was a challenge. This also makes it difficult for mothers to return to the health facilities to get the remaining doses for their children.   Lack of Political Will and Advocacy  While the birth dose is available in many countries with high rates of hepatitis

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/access-birth-dose-remains-challenge-despite-availability-vaccine/
  • New Phase 3 Clinical Trial Opportunity for People Living with Chronic Hepatitis B

    … receiving bepirovirsen or placebo, and neither will the doctor (until after the study ends). Participants will have medical visits throughout the study, where the doctor will check on hepatitis B viral activity and each participant’s overall health.  To participate in the new phase 3 B Well studies, people need to be at least 18 years old (although the minimum age requirement may be higher in some countries); have a documented hepatitis B infection for at least six months; and have been on antiviral therapy with an NA for at least 6 months.   The B Well study is being run in many countries, so there is opportunity for people in many areas of the world to participate! To find out more information and see if you might be eligible, please visit www.bwellstudy.com.    

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/new-phase-3-clinical-trial-opportunity-people-living-chronic-hepatitis-b/
  • Podcast Recaps: A Global Perspective on Stigma and Discrimination Against Hepatitis B

    B Heppy Recap: A Global Perspective on Stigma and Discrimination Against Hepatitis B  Catherine Freeland is the Associate Director of Public Health Research at the Hepatitis B Foundation. As a researcher and founder of the Foundation’s Hepatitis B Discrimination Working group, Dr. Freeland shares more about the impact of discrimination and stigma as it pertains to people living with hepatitis B.   What is the difference between stigma and discrimination?  It’s important to understand stigma and discrimination are different. Stigma is a social process that is characterized by being excluded, rejected, and devalued because of the social judgement associated with a certain condition. Although the literature on the topic is limited, it has been shown that stigma related to hepatitis B has negatively impacted the quality of life for those living with hepatitis B around the globe. Discrimination is different in that it is characterized by the laws and behaviors that limit opportunities for growth. For example, denying access to education or work because someone is living with hepatitis B is a form of discrimination. Discrimination is often a result of stigma.   What are the causes for stigma and discrimination as it pertains to hepatitis B?  Lack of knowledge and understanding about hepatitis B in the community is a root cause of stigma and discrimination. Most people are unaware of what hepatitis B is and how it can be transmitted. This often results in rumors, myths and misconceptions spreading in the community and unfortunately can alienate people living with hepatitis B.   How does stigma and discrimination against hepatitis B affect the lived experiences of people in the community?  When myths and misconceptions spread about hepatitis B in the community, people with lived experience often face discrimination. A lot of people are required to undergo health screenings prior to starting employment.  If they test positive for hepatitis B, they can be

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/podcast-recaps-global-perspective-stigma-discrimination-hepatitis-b/
  • 2022 Advocacy Year in Review

    … global advocacy. Our ongoing advocacy efforts in the U. S. include calling on Optum to restore the hepatitis B treatment Vemlidy back to their health insurance formulary. Globally we continue to put pressure on Gavi to move forward with implementation of hepatitis B birth dose in member countries, urging members of Congress and President Biden to help end hepatitis B discrimination in the U.S. military, recognizing National African Immigrant and Refugee HIV and Hepatitis Awareness (NAIRHHA) Day in the U.S., advocating for universal adult hepatitis B screening, and increasing funding for hepatitis B and liver cancer.    Updated U.S. Public Health Service Corps Medical Standards   The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps announced in December that it is updating its medical standards to accept future applicants living with chronic hepatitis B and HIV. Previously, HIV and hepatitis B infection were both considered disqualifying medical conditions. The Hepatitis B Foundation became aware of this issue in late 2020, when an individual with hepatitis B applied to serve but was denied due to their hepatitis B infection. Working alongside partners, we successfully advocated for a change in this policy by meeting with senior administration official and Congressional champions, and getting language included in the FY 2022 House Labor-HHS Appropriations report urging the USPHS to allow officers with hepatitis B to serve in the Commissioned Corps.      Check out the report to learn more!   https://www.hepbunited.org/assets/Advocacy/5d40b3bcc9/2022-HBU-Year-in-Review-Final.pdf     From all of us at the Hepatitis B Foundation and Hep B United, THANK YOU for your continued support and dedication to advocating for hepatitis B awareness, prevention, treatment, and research and combatting stigma and discrimination. We are so proud of what the hepatitis B advocacy community achieved this year, and we look forward to continuing to work together to build on

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/2022-advocacy-year-review/
  • Hepatitis B Foundation hosts Princeton Workshop on Liver Cancer

    Lewis Roberts, MB, ChB, PhD, Mayo Clinic professor of medicine, (right, foreground) was one of attendees at the 2022 Princeton Workshop The Hepatitis B Foundation hosted 30 top scientists and physicians from across the U.S. for a day-long meeting April 28 on "Liver Cancer Risk, Prevention and Early Detection: Challenges and Opportunities to Improve Outcomes." It was the 2022 Princeton Workshop, which was held first in 1995 in Princeton, N.J.  This year's co-chairs were Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, senior vice president of the Hepatitis B Foundation, and Brian McMahon, MD, scientific and medical director of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Participants are affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania and other leading research and health care institutions. You can read about the history here. About Hepatitis B:  The most common serious liver infection in the world, it is caused by the hepatitis B virus, which attacks and injures the liver. Each year up to 1 million people die from hepatitis B worldwide, even though it is preventable and treatable. The number of adults living in the U.S. who have chronic hepatitis B infection may be as high as 2.4 million, which is nearly three times greater than the federal government’s official estimate, according to a new report by a team of public health experts, scientists and physicians. Hepatitis B is a “silent epidemic” because most people do not have symptoms when they are newly or chronically infected. Thus, they can unknowingly infect others and continue the spread of hepatitis B. For people who are chronically infected but don’t have any symptoms, their livers are still being silently damaged, which can develop into serious liver disease such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. About the Hepatitis B Foundation: We are 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. Founded in 1991, the Hepatitis B Foundation is based in Doylestown, Pa., with an office in Washington, D.C. To learn more, go to www.hepb.org, read our blog at hepb.org/blog, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@hepbfoundation) or call us at 215-489-4900. To donate, contact Jean Holmes at 215-489-4900 or jean.holmes@hepb.org.

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/hepatitis-b-foundation-hosts-princeton-workshop-on-liver-cancer/
  • Canadian scientist chosen for the 2022 Hepatitis B Foundation’s Blumberg Prize

    Doylestown, Nov. 22, 2021 – The Hepatitis B Foundation, a global nonprofit organization based in Doylestown, Pa., today announced that D. Lorne Tyrrell, MD, PhD, Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and the University of Alberta, has been chosen as the recipient of its 2022 Baruch S. Blumberg Prize for outstanding contributions to advance the science and medicine of hepatitis B. “The hepatitis B community owes a tremendous debt to Dr. Tyrrell for his pioneering work on the basic science and clinical development of new therapeutics for chronic hepatitis B,” said Hepatitis B Foundation President and Co-founder Timothy S. Block, PhD. “Most notable are some of Dr. Tyrrell’s initial studies with lamivudine and his role in the development of critical experimental systems that have become essential to developing and understanding the biology and virology of the hepatitis B virus and development of new antivirals.” Dr. Tyrrell also played a key role in development of the KMT mouse, Dr. Block pointed out, which has been a major research asset to scientists working in hepatitis, particularly hepatitis B. The Baruch S. Blumberg Prize is the Hepatitis B Foundation’s highest honor. Considered to be the “Nobel Prize” for hepatitis B research, the award is named for Baruch S. Blumberg, MD, DPhil, who received the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 1976 for discovering the hepatitis B virus. Dr. Blumberg died in 2011 and the Foundation’s research arm, the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, is named in his honor. A committee of former Blumberg Prize recipients annually selects a new honoree. Past recipients include Dr. Harvey Alter, who was among the winners of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology; Dr. Anna Lok, assistant dean for clinical research, University of Michigan Medical School; and Dr. John Taylor, professor emeritus, Fox Chase Cancer Center.   D. Lorne Tyrrell, MD, PhD  (Photo by John Ulan)   “Lorne Tyrrell pioneered the use of nucleoside analogs for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection,” said Francis V. Chisari, M.D. Professor Emeritus, Scripps Research Institute, and 2007 recipient of the Blumberg Prize. “His work led to the development of lamivudine, which he showed was safe and dramatically effective in chronic hepatitis B infected chimpanzees and, ultimately, in human clinical trials. We can thank Professor Tyrrell for spearheading the conception, development and clinical application of the first orally administered antiviral drug against hepatitis B that suppresses viral replication, reduces the risk of developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and has saved the lives of countless patients over the past several decades.” Dr. Tyrrell is the founding director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology at the University of Alberta. He has focused his research on viral hepatitis for more than 30 years. His efforts to develop an antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B, which was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Glaxo Canada, led to the licensing of lamivudine, first oral antiviral agent to treat hepatitis B, in 1998. In a fascinating coincidence that impacted Dr. Tyrrell’s career, he was a post-doctoral researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm in 1976 when Dr. Blumberg was awarded the Nobel Prize. Not only did Dr. Tyrrell listen in-person to the Nobel lecture by Dr. Blumberg, he was able to attend the Nobel Prize award ceremony. That sparked his long-time research focus on hepatitis, particularly hepatitis B. “For that reason, the Blumberg Prize has always been special in my view, so this is a tremendous honor and I’m extremely pleased and proud and humbled,” Dr. Tyrrell said, adding, “I’ve always had a great admiration for Joan and Tim Block, and what they have done for people around the world who are living with hepatitis B.” Joan Block, RN, BSN, co-founded the Hepatitis B Foundation, along with her husband and Janine and Paul Witte, 30 years ago. She served as its executive director until retiring in 2017. Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta from 1994 to 2004, Dr. Tyrrell has received numerous prestigious awards such as an Officer of the Order of Canada, the Gold Medal of the Canadian Liver Foundation (2000), Fellow of the Royal Society (2004) and the EnCana Principal Award, Manning Innovation Awards (2005). He was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in April 2011 and received the Killam Prize in Health Sciences in May 2015. Currently, Dr. Tyrrell serves on the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force advising the Canadian government on the selection of COVID-19 vaccines based on efficacy, safety and timely availability for Canada. 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, even though it is preventable and treatable. Hepatitis B is a “silent epidemic” because most people do not have symptoms when they are newly or chronically infected. Thus, they can unknowingly infect others and continue the spread of hepatitis B. For people who are chronically infected but don’t have any symptoms, their livers are still being silently damaged, which can develop into serious liver disease such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. About the Hepatitis B Foundation: We are 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. Founded in 1991, the Hepatitis B Foundation is based in Doylestown, Pa., with an office in Washington, D.C. To learn more, go to www.hepb.org and www.hepb30years.org, read our blog at hepb.org/blog, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@hepbfoundation) or call us at 215-489-4900. To donate, contact Jean Holmes at 215-489-4900 or jean.holmes@hepb.org.

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/canadian-scientist-chosen-for-the-2022-hepatitis-b-foundations-blumberg-prize/
  • Witte Lecture

    The 2022 Bruce Witte Lecture, "HBV: expanding treatments guidelines: where are we and where are we going?" presented by Robert G. Gish, MD.   Thank you to all who attended on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022. If you were not able to tune in, here is the video:  The slides from the presentation can be found here.  About Dr. Gish: Robert G. Gish, MD, is the principal of Robert G. Gish Consultants LLC, a medical consulting company for liver and liver transplant programs, diagnostics and therapeutics companies that operate in the liver disease and liver health space. Medical Director at the University of California, San Diego, Health Systems from 2010 to 2013 in the Center for Hepatobiliary Disease and Abdominal Transplantation, Dr. Gish also was a Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSD during that period. From 2014 to 2019, he served at Stanford University with major roles in outreach programs. He currently is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and Reno, and Professor of Medicine at Loma Linda University. He serves as an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at UCSD. Dr. Gish also is Medical Director of the Hepatitis B Foundation. Dr. Gish received his medical degree from the University of Kansas Medical School in 1980 after an undergraduate program in Pharmaceutical Sciences. He completed a three-year Residency in Internal Medicine at the UCSD, and a fellowship in Gastroenterology at UCLA, during which time he was awarded the National Institutes of Health Physician Scientist Award. Dr. Gish has an active research program in viral hepatitis. He has published more than 600 original articles, abstracts, and book chapters, and more than 120 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Gish also is actively involved in numerous professional societies, such as the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases since 1984 and the American Society of Transplant since 1995. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians as well as 10+ other national and international organizations. Dr. Gish’s participation in various San Francisco and San Diego Hep B Free campaign activities has led to the screening of over 6,000 people for viral hepatitis. He also has a major interest in Vietnam and the Philippines and co-authored a Vietnamese public health policy for liver health. About the Witte Lecture:  The Witte Lectureship was established by Hepatitis B Foundation Cofounders, Janine and Paul Witte, in remembrance of their son, Bruce, to allow for a distinguished leader in the field to visit the Hepatitis B Foundation and Blumberg Institute to make a presentation and meet with scientists and public health leaders. It is the HBF's most important named lecture. Previous Witte Lecturers include: Harvey Alter (Nobel Prize laureate), Frank Chisari, Charles Rice (Nobel Prize laureate), John Taylor, John Gerin, Raymond Schinazi, Raymond Dwek, Rafi Ahmed, Adrian DiBisceglie, Steve Locarnini, Dennis Liotta, John Martin, Stanley Lemon and Marion Peters​​​​​​​.

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/witte-lecture/
  • اختبارات الدم لتشخيص المصابين بفيروس التهاب الكبد "ب"

      Is there a blood test for hepatitis B?There is a simple hepatitis B blood test that your doctor or health clinic can order called the “hepatitis B blood panel”. This blood sample can be taken in the doctor’s office. There are 3 common tests that make up this blood panel. Sometimes the doctor may ask to check your blood again six months after your first visit to confirm your hepatitis B status. If you think you have been recently infected with hepatitis B, it can take up to 9 weeks before the virus will be detected in your blood.Understanding your hepatitis B blood test results can be confusing, so you want to be sure about your diagnosis – are you infected with hepatitis B, have you recovered from a hepatitis B infection, or do you have a chronic hepatitis B infection? In addition, it is helpful if you request a written copy of your blood tests so that you fully understand which tests are positive or negative. What three tests make up the "hepatitis B blood panel"? The hepatitis B blood panel requires only one blood sample but includes three tests that are needed to make a final diagnosis: HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) HBsAb or anti-HBs (hepatitis B surface antibody) HBcAb or anti-HBc (hepatitis B core antibody) What is the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)? A "positive" or “reactive” HBsAg test result means that the person is infected with the hepatitis B virus, which can be an "acute" or a "chronic" infection. Infected people can pass the virus on to others through their blood. What is the hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb or anti-HBs)?A "positive" or “reactive” HBsAb (or anti-HBs) test result indicates that a person has either successfully responded to the hepatitis B vaccine or has recovered from an acute hepatitis B infection. This result (along with a negative HbsAg result) means that you are immune to (protected from) a future hepatitis B infection. What is the hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb)?The HBcAb is an antibody that is part of the virus- it does not provide protection. A "positive" or "reactive" HBcAb (or anti-HBc) test result indicates a past or present infection. The interpretation of this test result depends on the results of the other two tests. Its appearance with the protective surface antibody (positive HBsAb or anti-HBs) indicates prior infection and recovery. For chronically infected persons, it will usually appear with the virus (positive HBsAg).   هل يوجد اختبار دم لتشخيص المصابين بالتهاب الكبد "ب"؟ قد يطلب طبيبك أو عيادتك الصحية إجراء اختبارات دم بسيطة لفيروس التهاب الكبد "ب"، تسمى "فحوصات الدم الخاصة بالتهاب الكبد (ب)". ويمكن سحب عينة الدم هذه في عيادة الطبيب. تتكون فحوصات الدم هذه من 3 اختبارات شائعة. قد يطلب الطبيب في بعض الأحيان إجراء فحص الدم مرة أخرى بعد ستة أشهر من زيارتك الأولى للتأكد من حالة الإصابة بالتهاب الكبد "ب". إذا كنت تعتقد أنك قد أصبت مؤخرًا بفيروس التهاب الكبد "ب"، فقد يستغرق الأمر ما يصل إلى 9 أسابيع قبل اكتشاف الفيروس في دمك. قد يكون فهْم نتائج اختبار الدم لفيروس التهاب الكبد "ب" محيرًا بعض الشيء، لذا يجب أن تكون متأكدًا من تشخيصك – وهناك أسئلة مهمة لا بُد أن تضعها في اعتبارك مثل: هل أنت مصاب بفيروس التهاب الكبد "ب"؟ أم هل تعافيت من عدوى فيروس التهاب الكبد "ب"؟ أم أن لديك عدوى مزمنة بفيروس التهاب الكبد "ب"؟ علاوة على ذلك، من المفيد أن تطلب نسخة مكتوبة من اختبارات الدم حتى تتمكن من فهم أي الاختبارات إيجابية وأيها سلبية. ما الاختبارات الثلاثة التي تشكل "فحوصات الدم الخاصة بالتهاب الكبد (ب)"؟  تتطلب فحوصات الدم الخاصة بالتهاب الكبد "ب" سحب عينة دم واحدة فقط، ولكنها تتضمن ثلاثة اختبارات لازمة لتحديد التشخيص النهائي: المستضد السطحي لالتهاب الكبد "ب" (HBsAg) الجسم المضاد السطحي لالتهاب الكبد "ب" (HBsAb أو anti-HBs) الجسم المضاد الأساسي لالتهاب الكبد "ب" (HBcAb أو anti-HBc) ما المستضد السطحي لالتهاب الكبد "ب" (HBsAg)؟  تعني نتيجة اختبار المستضد السطحي لالتهاب الكبد "ب" (HBsAg) "الإيجابية" أو "النشطة" أن الشخص مصاب بفيروس التهاب الكبد "ب"، وأن العدوى قد تكون "حادة" أو "مزمنة". يمكن للأشخاص المصابين نقل الفيروس إلى الآخرين عن طريق الدم. ما الجسم المضاد السطحي لالتهاب الكبد "ب" (HBsAb أو anti-HBs)؟ تشير نتيجة اختبار الأجسام المضادة السطحية لالتهاب الكبد "ب" HBsAb (أو anti-HBs) "الإيجابية" أو "النشطة" إلى أن الشخص إما استجاب بنجاح للقاح التهاب الكبد "ب" أو أنه قد تعافى من عدوى التهاب الكبد "ب" الحادة. وتعني هذه النتيجة (بالإضافة إلى نتيجة HbsAg السلبية) أنك محصن ضد (محميّ من) عدوى التهاب الكبد "ب" في المستقبل. ما الجسم المضاد الأساسي لالتهاب الكبد "ب" (HBcAb)؟ إن الأجسام المضادة الأساسية لالتهاب الكبد "ب" (HBcAb) عبارة عن أجسام مضادة تُشكل جزءًا من الفيروس - وهي غير قادرة على توفير الحماية. تشير نتيجة اختبار HBcAb (أو anti-HBc) "الإيجابية" أو "النشطة" إلى وجود إصابة سابقة أو حالية. ويعتمد تفسير نتيجة هذا الاختبار على نتائج الاختبارين الآخرين. ويشير ظهوره مع الجسم المضاد السطحي الواقي (HBsAb أو anti-HBs الإيجابي) إلى وجود إصابة سابقة والتعافي من الفيروس. وبالنسبة للمصابين بعدوى مزمنة، فإنه سيَظهر عادةً مع وجود إصابة بالفيروس (HBsAgإيجابي).

    https://www.hepb.org/languages/arabic/page-594/
  • Testing and Treatment During Pregnancy

    A hepatitis B virus infection should not cause any problems for you or your unborn baby during your pregnancy if you take the correct precautions. It is important for your doctor to be aware of your hepatitis B infection so that he or she can run appropriate tests and evaluate and monitor the health of your liver, and so your baby can be protected from infection with hepatitis B when it is born. The U.S. CDC and WHO recommend that ALL pregnant people are tested for hepatitis B. Please ask your doctor to test you for hepatitis B early in your pregnancy!  The birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG, if recommended and available) can sometimes fail to prevent transmission to newborns. This typically occurs in pregnant people who are HBeAg positive and have a very high viral load, allowing for the transmission of hepatitis B to your baby. Fortunately, there is a way to prevent transmission even if you are a person with a high viral load.  All people who are diagnosed with hepatitis B in pregnancy should be referred for follow up care with a physician skilled at managing hepatitis B infection. Your physician should perform additional laboratory testing, including HBV DNA level (viral load), and should be checked to see if there is evidence of cirrhosis (extensive liver damage). (click here for a detailed description of these tests). An HBV DNA level greater than 200,000 IU/mL or 1 million cp/ml indicates a level where the combination of the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine (and HBIG) will fail. First-line, antiviral therapy with tenofovir (TDF/viread) is recommended starting from week 28 of pregnancy until delivery but may continue 3 months postpartum. Please talk to your doctor about your own test results.  If the HBV DNA (viral load) blood test is not available or is cost prohibitive, then pregnant people should be tested for HBeAg (a blood test). A “positive” HBeAg test result can indicate a high virus level. Antiviral treatment with tenofovir (TDF) during the last trimester would be recommended for women who test HBeAg positive. TDF Treatment may be discontinued after delivery or 3-months postpartum. All babies born to people with hepatitis B should receive a birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of delivery whether they receive treatment with an antiviral or not. All people who are diagnosed with hepatitis B should be referred to care with a knowledgeable doctor. Some may require continued treatment with an antiviral, many will not. All people need regular monitoring throughout their life since hepatitis B infection and the health of the liver can change over time.    Additional Resource Links:  U.S.: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Viral Hepatitis, Perinatal Transmission (2018) EU/EEA:Antenatal Screening for HIV, Hepatitis B, Syphilis and Rubella Susceptibility in the EU/EEA (2016) Globally:WHO Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus: Guidelines on Antiviral Prophylaxis in Pregnancy (2020)   Page updated September 2020  

    https://www.hepb.org/treatment-and-management/pregnancy-and-hbv/treatment-during-pregnancy/