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  • Gala puts the spotlight on creating family and support for those living with hepatitis B

    The Hepatitis B Foundation Annual Gala honored two global leaders in the fight to advance hepatitis B science, prevention and treatment. Doylestown, Pa., March 31, 2023—The Hepatitis B Foundation held its annual Gala, a fundraiser that celebrates the nonprofit’s people and achievements, on March 10 at The Warrington, a popular venue in Warrington, Pa. Gilead Sciences Inc. was the premier sponsor of this well-attended event, which attracted more than 250 local community and business leaders along with scientists and public health experts from around the country. Stephen Urban, PhD, recipient of the Blumberg Prize and Timothy M. Block, PhD, Foundation co-founder and board chair Among the evening’s highlights were as award presentation to the Foundation’s two distinguished honorees for 2023. Stephan Urban, PhD, was awarded the Baruch S. Blumberg Prize for his contributions to the field of hepatitis B and hepatitis D research and Su Wang, MD, MPH, FACP, received the Community Commitment Award for her outspoken advocacy and dedication to the hepatitis B community. Both honorees were surprised with video montages of their colleagues delivering messages of congratulations and heartfelt thanks. Dr. Urban is a distinguished professor and globally recognized virologist at Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany. His research led to the creation of bulevirtide, the first and only drug approved to treat hepatitis D, which is a serious coinfection that occurs only in people living with hepatitis B. Prior to the Gala, Dr. Urban presented a seminar that morning about his research at the Hepatitis B Foundation in Doylestown. You can view the presentation here. Dr. Wang is a practicing physician, extremely prominent global advocate and person living with hepatitis B. She is medical director of Viral Hepatitis Programs and the Center for Asian Health at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J. She is 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. Dr. Wang also has served on countless committees and boards in an effort to bring the lived experience of those with hepatitis B to the forefront. Chari A. Cohen, DrPH, MPH, president of the Foundation and Su Wang, MD, MPH, FACP, recipient of the Community Commitment Award. Dr. Wang delivered a powerful acceptance speech where she highlighted the work of the Foundation and the need to get those with lived experience in front of decision makers. “I’ve come to think of all of us who work in hepatitis as a kind of family,” Dr. Wang said. “Maybe because hep B is so neglected that we bond as fight this battle together. We feed off of each other’s passion and grit. And I’m very grateful for the Hepatitis B Foundation for creating a place where people living with hep B are seen, for showing us that we can prevent liver cancer and early death, that we can live long and healthy lives. 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. A home for me. And my one wish for everyone living with hepatitis B to see that they are part of this family.” Foundation President Chari A. Cohen, DrPH, MPH, said: “We were thrilled to have so many of our loyal supporters and staff come together to honor the great people who have made major contributions to the fight against hepatitis B and hepatitis D. We owe a huge thank you to everyone who came, participated in the silent auction, donated and shared well-wishes with our distinguished guests.” Three of our region’s most-respected elected officials, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Sen. Steve Santarsiero and Bucks County Commission Chair Bob Harvie were invited to speak. They spoke admiringly about the Hepatitis B Foundation and its mission, plus its sister organizations, the Blumberg Institute and Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center. Sen. Santarsiero surprised Chari A. Cohen, PhD, MPH, with a Pennsylvania Senate plaque recognizing her elevation to president of the Hepatitis B Foundation.   Generous donors and sponsors of the Foundation gave a total of almost $180,000. The guests enjoyed a great variety of casino games and a robust silent action. The latter was a huge success with items and services from donors such as The Philadelphia Eagles, Leading Edge Aviation and Kona Coffee. Rep. Fitzpatrick provided a Day at the U.S. Capital including White House tour and others donated a collection of fine wine, vacation homes for a weekend and a wide variety of other treasures. About hepatitis B: The world’s most common serious liver infection, chronic hepatitis B is caused by a 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: As the nation’s leading hepatitis B advocacy and research organization, the Hepatitis B Foundation is one of the most active proponents of improving hepatitis B screening, prevention and treatment of the disease. 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 offices in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. 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 support these lifesaving efforts, please go to our Donate webpage, email giving@hepb.org, or call 215-489-4900 and ask for Institutional Advancement.

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/gala-puts-the-spotlight-on-creating-family-and-support-for-those-living-with-hepatitis-b/
  • Dr. Chari A. Cohen becomes President of the Hepatitis B Foundation

    Founding President Dr. Timothy M. Block is now executive chair of the Hepatitis B Foundation’s Board of Directors. Doylestown, July 1, 2022 –  Chari A. Cohen, DrPH, MPH, today became president of the Hepatitis B Foundation, a global nonprofit organization based in Doylestown, Pa. Timothy M. Block, PhD, founding president of the organization, is now executive chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors. “Stepping away from the presidency of the Foundation is much easier for me knowing that Chari is my successor,” Dr. Block said. “She brings amazing passion and commitment to our mission. Her energy and enthusiasm make her a natural leader and a global authority on hepatitis B, hepatitis D and liver cancer public health research, policy and advocacy. The programs she has led and launched at the Foundation have done enormous good for our organization and the people we serve. The Hepatitis B Foundation and people affected by viral hepatitis and liver cancer will be in good hands.” Dr. Block had been president since launching the organization in 1991 with his wife, Joan Block, and Janine and Paul Witte. He will begin a sabbatical this fall to continue his research and teach at Yale University. Louis P. Kassa, who is executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Foundation, the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC) and the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, is now president of the PABC and interim chief executive officer of all three entities. Dr. Cohen, who was senior vice president, joined the Foundation in 2001 and, working with Joan Block, developed its public health, policy and advocacy program into a formidable and internationally influential operation. “I’m honored and humbled by the opportunity to build on the legacy of Joan and Tim Block, who created this wonderful organization and brought it to global prominence,” Dr. Cohen said. “Their leadership has positioned the Foundation to continue expanding on our strengths and uniquely collaborate with patients, providers, advocates and other stakeholders to help us prepare the world for a functional cure for hepatitis B. It is a privilege to lead this team of world-changers toward the next step in our mission to bring a cure to everyone.” Su Wang, MD, MPH, FACP, who is president of the World Hepatitis Alliance and a practicing physician and advocate for people living with hepatitis B, has worked closely with Dr. Cohen in those roles and as a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. “We wouldn't be where we are in our progress towards Hepatitis B elimination if it weren't for [Dr. Cohen]” Dr. Wang said. “You seldom find someone who is both a well-respected scientist and a highly influential advocate in the policy arena. Her collaborative and innovative nature has helped make the Hepatitis B Foundation a global leader in the hepatitis space. She has a long history of recruiting and developing excellent staff, and as a team, they are leading the way with unique and robust programs for the Hepatitis B Foundation. There is no better person to take the Foundation into the future.” Dr. Cohen earned a master’s in public health at Temple University in 2001. She received a doctorate in community health and prevention from Drexel University in 2015 and was honored with the Leadership Excellence Award and Outstanding Promise Doctoral Award. A widely published scholar with more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, Dr. Cohen is an associate professor at the Blumberg Institute, and adjunct associate professor at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. She is the Principal Investigator of numerous private and federal grants for research and public health, including a $1.4 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue building the nationwide Hep B United coalition. She chairs the Coalition Against Hepatitis in People of African Origin (CHIPO), which she co-launched in 2004. In 2008, Dr. Cohen led publication of the first article to document the underestimation of hepatitis B in the U.S. and offered an updated estimate in 2010, which changed the discussion around the true number of people living with HBV in our country and helped to prioritize it as an urgent public health need. Dr. Cohen has led the call for universal HBV testing and vaccination and spearheaded the first Externally Led Patient-Focused Drug Development Meeting on hepatitis B in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Cohen designed the Gateway to Care campaign in Haimen City, China, and is the architect of the Foundation’s highly successful #justB storytelling program. She is co-chair of Hep B United, a national coalition in 22 states and 30 cities to address and eliminate hepatitis B. She is co-founder and director of Hep B United Philadelphia, a coalition and campaign to increase testing, vaccination and linkage to care in local high-risk communities. She is co-chair of Hep Free PA, sits on the steering committee of the HBV Forum for Collaborative Research and is a member of the AASLD Patient Advocacy Group. A resident of Newtown, Pa., Dr. Cohen was chosen for the inaugural class of the Bucks County 40 Under 40 in 2012. Her husband, Paul R. Cohen, is an attorney and partner with Curtin & Heefner, a law firm with offices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Their daughter, Marissa, is a student at Muhlenberg College. Other comments about Dr. Cohen Joel Rosen, Esq., chair of the Foundation Board of Directors since 2009, said: “The expansion of the Hepatitis B Foundation’s programs and its sheer growth over the past 20 years has been amazing, and Chari Cohen has been at the heart of it all. Not only has she accomplished a great deal in her years with us, she is tremendously respected and admired by the people with whom she works. I am absolutely confident that Dr. Cohen will maintain the Foundation’s positive momentum while taking us in exciting new directions.” John W. Ward, MD, former director of the CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis and now director, Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, and professor, Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University: “The selection of Dr. Chari Cohen as president of the Hepatitis B Foundation is a wise choice. Dr. Cohen is deeply committed to the Hepatitis B Foundation’s mission of improving the health of persons living with and at risk for Hepatitis B. Dr. Cohen is an accomplished scientist, responsive service provider for affected patients and communities, and passionate advocate for persons with hepatitis B, leading to effective partnerships with government and business leaders. With Dr. Chari Cohen as president, the Foundation is poised for continued growth. The Coalition and I look forward to working with Chari and the Hepatitis B Foundation to meet our mutually shared goals of eliminating hepatitis B in the United States and globally.”

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/dr-chari-cohen/
  • Join CDC and HBF for a World Hepatitis Day Twitter Chat

    Are you planning to join us for the World Hepatitis Day Twitter Chat on Friday, July 27th? The CDC and HBF will be hosting a Twitter Chat at 2 pm EDT.  Are you thinking, “What… me??  I don’t know how to use twitter!!” Well, get-on- board with twitter before July 27th and join us! What is twitter?  Twitter allows you to stay connected or exchange short messages called tweets with friends, family, co-workers, organizations and partners, and the world at large. You can tweet from your computer, your laptop, i-pad or smartphone. You can use it to update your status on the go, or in HBF’s case, use it to educate and raise hepatitis B awareness.  We also use it to send out current or new information on hepatitis B and to make our resources available to others.  If you are a hepatitis B advocate, twitter is a great outlet to get your message out there. What is a handle? Your twitter username is your handle. For example HBF’s twitter handle is @HepBFoundation. Handles are preceded with a @symbol. You can find us at www.twitter.com/HepBFoundation. What is a tweet? A tweet is basically a short message or status that you post to twitter. You can compose a tweet by clicking on the blue compose button in the top right corner, or from the “Compose New Tweet” box (top left after you login) Tweets are kept at 140 characters or less. If you make your tweets about 10 characters shorter, you’ll leave room for others to easily retweet your messages.  Don’t worry. Twitter does the counting for you. Your message can be just that – a message: “2 billion people in the world have been infected with #hepatitis B”, or you can add a reference to the source such as HBF’s website where you can find this quote  A URL shortener will be invoked to take that long URLs like  http://www.hepb.org/hepb/statistics.htm  and turn it into: http://ow.ly/ciWvu What is a retweet? A retweet or RT is when you repost someone else’s tweet so it will be shared with your

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/join-cdc-and-hbf-for-a-world-hepatitis-day-twitter-chat/
  • What Are Your Plans for World Hepatitis Day?

    World Hepatitis Day is July 28th. Organizations and advocates around the globe are organizing viral hepatitis events to educate, screen, and raise viral hepatitis awareness in their communities. World hepatitis Day was launched by the World Hepatitis Alliance in 2008. Last year, July 28th, the birthday of Dr. Baruch Blumberg was designated as the official World Hepatitis Day. Dr. Blumberg won the Nobel Prize in 1976 for his discovery of the hepatitis B virus, and development of the first hepatitis B vaccine. He was also an inspirational friend to the Hepatitis B Foundation. Please take a look at the proposed World Hepatitis Day events occurring around the globe.  The chart is a work in progress, so let me know your activates for the day or days preceding World Hepatitis Day, and a contact point, and I’ll be sure to update the chart ASAP. Leave a comment or send your info to contact@hepb.org.  If you’re not planning an event, but would like to get involved, check out any events that may be near you. Countries are listed alphabetically. Don’t forget to take advantage of the promotional campaign materials provided by the World Hepatitis Alliance. World Hepatitis Day really is “closer than you think”.     Country Event Contact Australia Queensland: Free lecture presented by Dr. Joshua Davis, speaking about his work with HBV in indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. Cairns. Yarnin up HepB for Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander health workers to discuss all things HBV with Dr. Davis. Cairns. “Hep Day Out” at CSHS features tours of the QuIHN van, an acoustic jam and more. Cairns Hepatitis Indigenous Community Awareness Event, organized by Hepatitis Queensland. Brisbane. Australian Capital Territory (ACT): WHD Community & Stakeholder Forum. Canberra. New South Wales (NSW): Numerous community events, including Love your Liver or Healthy liver themed lunches and breakfast events; art themed events and workshops; general

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/what-are-your-plans-for-world-hepatitis-day/
  • Share Your Story

    Are you living with hepatitis B and delta in the U.S.? We would love to hear your story. Click here to give us your name and email and we will send you more information about becoming a Storyteller in our next #justB workshop. This is a unique and moving opportunity to connect with others like you and make a lasting impact. Do you live outside the US and have a story to share about your experience with hep B or hep delta? Become a part of our B the Voice Story Bank, where we are working on collecting and sharing the stories of some of the 300 million people worldwide living with hepatitis B and estimated 20 million who are living with hepatitis D. Share you story here!  

    https://www.hepb.org/research-and-programs/hepdeltaconnect/share-your-story/
  • Current and Past "B Informed" Newsletters

    Fall/Winter 2022 Issue Amplifying Voices Comprehensive program in Vietnam provides model Assessing discrimination New, high-value model for community events New additions to our team Drug Watch Winter 2021 Issue Highlights include: Passing the torch and celebrating 30 years!  Progress toward a cure CDC awards $1.4 million for Hep B United Major wins on Capitol Hill Landmark vote by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to recommend universal adult hepatitis B vaccination Saving the next generation from hepatitis B infection in Nigeria Nobel Prize Laureate delivers Witte Lecture Summer 2021 Issue Highlights include:  The impact of COVID-19 on people living with hepatitis B in the U.S.  Launch of world's first discrimination registry New forum: HepBcommunity World Hepatitis Day   New podcast: B Heppy  AASLD award to Joan and Tim Block Fall 2020 Issue Highlights include:  Going Global with the B the Voice Storybank PFDD The Foundation welcomes 3 new employees New hepatitis delta treatment approved by European Commission What Happened to the Cure for Hepatitis B?  30th Anniversary  Fall 2018 Issue Highlights include: Hepatitis B Foundation Launching Effort to Improve Patient Access to Hepatitis B Medications New Vice Presidents Named Hep B Cure Campaign Grows Momentum Hepatitis B Foundation to Provide Resources for African Immigrant Communities Hep B United Summit Provider Profile: Dr. Su Wang Summer 2018 Issue Highlights include: Hepatitis B Foundation Call for Universal Screening for Hepatitis B Two-dose Hepatitis B Vaccine Now Available Partnering to End Hepatitis B in Vietnam 2017 HBV Meeting in DC Dr Tim Block Named Fellow of National Academy of Inventors Fall 2017 Issue Highlights include: Baruch S. Blumberg Institute Discoveries Enter HBV Clinical Trials Hepatitis B Foundation Releases Roadmap for a Cure Empowering Patients in China Deadly Hepatitis Delta Hep B United Summit Tribute: Dr. W. Thomas London Spring 2017 Issue Highlights include: Hepatitis B Foundation Launches Hep B Cure Campaign Avoiding HBV Reactivation #justB Storytelling Campaign Tribute to Dr. Bud Tennant Crystal Ball Raises $138,000 HBV Meeting in Seoul Fall 2016 Issue Highlights include: Explaining the Hepatitis B Drug Pipeline HBF Congratulates Michael Sofia on the 2016 Lasker-Debakey Award Hepb.org Relaunches with a New Look Hepatitis Delta Connect Program CDC Awards Hepatitis B Foundation 5-Year Cooperative Agreement It Takes a Coalition to Fight Hepatitis B HBF Celebrates Silver Jubilee Spring 2016 Issue Highlights Include: Baruch S. Blumberg Institute’s Hepatitis B Research Pipeline Good News in Bad Nauheim: The 2015 International HBV Meeting Blumberg Institute Forges New Academic Partnerships Dr. Bud Tennant Receives the HBF 2016 Baruch S. Blumberg Prize You Have Three Months to Live A Nobel Challenge: Mission Accomplished! Fall 2015 Issue Highlights Include: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Hepatitis B Virus Discovery First World Hepatitis Summit in Glasgow Scotland Antiviral Research Journal Focuses on New HBV Therapies The W. Thomas London Distinguished Professorship Established 3rd Annual Hep B United National Summit Speaking Personally: The Story of a 31 Year Old Woman Spring 2015 Issue Highlights Include: Hepatitis B Foundation Recruits World-Class Scientists Hepatitis B Virus Turns 50! Hollywood Ending for International HBV Meeting Dr. Eugene Schiff Receives 2015 Blumberg Prize Princeton Workshop Focuses on Liver Cancer When Ignorance Is Not Bliss WHO Issues New HBV Guidelines Fall 2014 Issue Highlights Include: Making Hepatitis B History: Research at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute Hep B United’s 2nd Annual Summit WHO Invites HBF to Help Develop Their HBV Management Guidelines HBF’s Haimen City Project in China a Success Public Health Popularity Contest Africa’s Growing Hepatitis B Crisis Spring 2014 Issue Highlights Include: Hepatitis B and Liver Transplantation In Memory of Arline Loh International HBV Meeting Highlights Hep B United Rolls Out National Plan Dr. Thomas Starzl Receives HBF Blumberg Prize Liver Cancer Killed My Sister Fall 2013 Issue Highlights Include: Hepatitis B Foundation Research Institute Renamed in Honor of Dr. Baruch S. Blumberg HBF Awarded 3-Year Cooperative Agreement from CDC About "A Nobel Challenge" Cure Agenda at Princeton Workshop CHIPO: HBV and African Immigrants A Gay Man's Thoughts on HBV Spring 2013 Issue Highlights Include: U.S. Dept. of Justice Strikes Down HBV Discrimination Targeting cccDNA Could Be Game Changer Hep B United Community Action Plan Indonesia's Hepatitis B Crisis Chronic Hepatitis B or C: Which is Worse? Fall 2012 Issue Highlights Include: First Hep B United National SummitCDC Updates HBV Recommendations for Healthcare WorkersRemembering Dr. R. Palmer BeasleyFirst B Informed Parent ConferenceWhat Does the ACA Mean for the Hepatitis B Community?Preventable Loss of An Older Brother Spring 2012 Issue Highlights Include: Hepatitis B Discrimination Alive and Well in the U.S. Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health of HHS, Honored at Crystal Ball New Recommendations for Chronic Hepatitis B in Pregnancy Natural Products Discovery Institute is Open for Business HBF Launches LiverCancerConnect.org to Help Patients

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/free-newsletters/b-informed-newsletters/
  • World Hepatitis Day is Here!

      World Hepatitis Day has arrived! Check out this YouTube video from the World Health Organization (WHO) Don't let hepatitis tear your life apart Hepatitis affects everyone, everywhere. KNOW IT. CONFRONT IT.

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/world-hepatitis-day/
  • A World Hepatitis Day Message from Dr. Philanbangchang, WHO South-East Asia

    This World Hepatitis Day message by Dr. Philanbangchang, WHO South-East Asia addresses some of the many challenges of viral hepatitis in the South-East Asia region, and also applies to other areas of the world. However, it is interesting to first note some fast facts specifically about hepatitis B...     The statistics on hepatitis B are staggering.  Two billion people worldwide have been infected with HBV.  That's one in three people globally, and one in twenty in the U.S..  Four hundred million are chronically infected, and approximately two people die each minute as a result of hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids.  It is readily transmitted from mother to child at birth, and children born with HBV have a 90% chance of life-long infection. HBV is called the silent epidemic because it is often asymptomatic. Many have no idea how they acquired the virus. Sadly, HBV leads to terrible discrimination and stigma throughout the world.  Family members, workers, and children are shunned and opportunities are denied. Hepatitis B is not curable, but there are excellent treatments available. However, not everyone needs to be treated, but everyone needs to be monitored. The good news is that hepatitis B is vaccine preventable.  Children must be vaccinated at birth to prevent the transmission from mother to child, and people at high risk must be screened before they are vaccinated.  The HBV vaccine does not work if you are already infected with HBV, but it will protect family, sexual partners and household members.  It would be great if the HBV vaccine were universally recommended, available and funded... Practicing simple standard precautions is another way to prevent the transmission of infectious disease - especially those diseases for which there are no vaccines.  If you have hepatitis B, it is best to avoid coinfection with other infectious diseases such as HCV and HIV.  Practice safe sex.  Do not share needles and

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/a-world-hepatitis-day-message-from-dr-philanbangchang-who-south-east-asia/
  • A Personal Reflection on China for World Hepatitis Day - Part II

    (If you missed it, see part I) The second trip entailed the training of rural doctors.  During the training course, we used a number of simple visuals to better get some basic ideas across.  We wanted to drive home how common HBV was in China, and the number of Chinese people infected. We asked 10 people to stand up.  They smiled with pride, having been selected, until they realized they were being identified as one of those possibly infected with HBV.  The numbers dwindled as we went through the process of asking some to sit down representing those that had been infected, but resolved the virus, until finally, the last one standing represented someone with chronic HBV. This person was clearly horrified. This visual certainly drove the point home, but perhaps we were the ones educated by this process. The Chinese people love children. I had a photo album of my children, which many enjoyed during the break.  There was one photo with a picture of both my two children and my colleague's two children. My colleague and I were traveling with two of the children and had not identified if either were infected.  (As a result, we sat at every meal where most assuredly there was a large serving spoon in every dish...)  There was only one child that could be "safely" identified. When I pointed the child out to them, I could hear them, speaking in English, saying "Yes, I knew it.  Look at her.  She's sick... doesn't look well."  I can't even imagine what was said in Chinese.  HBV is nearly always asymptomatic in children.  All four children in the photo appeared equally healthy.  At that moment, I was grateful these children were spared the taunts. During the course of the visit, we made an impromptu stop at a hospital on the outskirts of one of the cities.  We were shocked when we were permitted to enter the compound without pre-approval.  It was not a sanitized visit like all of the other stops we made.  We were traveling with a U.S. doctor, and

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/reflections-on-hbv-in-china-part-ii/
  • Hepatitis B Symptoms

    Hepatitis B is called a "silent infection" because most people do not have any symptoms when they are first infected. Thus, they can unknowingly pass the virus to others and continue the silent spread of hepatitis B. Testing is the only way to know for sure if you are infected. Most healthy adults do not experience any symptoms when they are first infected with the hepatitis B virus Some people who are infected will have symptoms and seek medical attention, but many will think they just have the flu and ignore the symptoms About 1 percent of those infected will develop a life-threatening condition called  "fulminant hepatitis," which can be fatal and result in liver failure and death. Although this response is rare, fulminant hepatitis develops suddenly and requires immediate medical attention. Common symptoms of hepatitis B infection  Fever, fatigue, muscle or joint pain  Loss of appetite  Mild nausea and vomiting  Stomach pain  Pale or light colored stools  Dark, tea colored urine Serious symptoms that require immediate medical attention  Severe nausea and vomiting  Yellow eyes and skin (called "jaundice")  Bloated or swollen stomach  It is always a good idea to talk to your health care provider or seek medical attention if you don't feel well or if you are uncertain about whether you have been infected with hepatitis B. A simple hepatitis B blood test can easily diagnose whether or not you have an infection.

    https://www.hepb.org/what-is-hepatitis-b/what-is-hepb/symptoms/