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

Site Search

You searched for "hepatitis D"

  • What is the Difference Between hepatitis B and Fatty Liver Disease?

    Many people have trouble understanding the relationship between chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). While research studies are ongoing and the association between hepatitis B and NAFLD is indeed complex, a chronic hepatitis B infection does not cause NAFLD. It is important to understand both diseases independently of one another before studying the correlation between the two.   Hepatitis B and fatty liver disease both can damage the liver. This is why it is important to understand the role of the liver in maintaining overall health and well-being. The liver is an essential organ in your body and is responsible for supporting digestion and regulating nutrients. It plays a crucial role in removing toxic substances from your body.   Worldwide, almost 300 million people are living with hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is transmitted through direct contact with infected blood, unprotected sex with an infected individual, use of contaminated medical or injection equipment, and most commonly, from an infected mother to her newborn during childbirth. A chronic (lasting longer than six months) hepatitis B infection can damage the liver and may progress to more serious conditions like cirrhosis, fibrosis, and even liver cancer. While hepatitis B is a major public health problem, it can be prevented through a safe and effective vaccine. And even though hepatitis B is a serious disease, most people live healthy and productive lives with effective management and treatment.   NAFLD is caused by the excess accumulation of fat in the liver not related to  alcohol use. Over time, this may lead to inflammation or swelling and liver damage. There are two types of NAFLD: 1). Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver (NAFL) or Simple Fatty Liver and 2) Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH). Someone who has NAFL has fat buildup in their liver. Someone who has NASH also has liver damage and liver inflammation, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and may

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/difference-hepatitis-b-fatty-liver-disease/
  • What to do about hepatitis B when you're pregnant?

    Around the world, the most common mode of hepatitis B transmission is from mother to child. Unfortunately, pregnant mothers who have hepatitis B can transmit the virus to their newborn during the delivery process. 90% of these HBV infected babies will progress to chronic infection  putting them at increased risk of serious liver disease or liver cancer later in life. It is important that ALL pregnant women get tested for hepatitis B to prevent the transmission of the virus to newborns at birth. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all newborns born to hepatitis B positive women be given two shots in the delivery room - the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine (5 mcg dose) and one dose of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG, 0.5 mL dose). If a woman knows that she is infected, it is important that she tell her doctor to have these two drugs available when she is ready to deliver. These two shots must be given at separate injection sites, i.e. different limbs. When administered correctly within the first 12 hours of life, a newborn has a 95% chance of being protected against a lifelong hepatitis B infection. The infant will need to complete the hepatitis B vaccine according to schedule as part of a 3 or 4 dose series. CDC recommends follow up testing to confirm immunity or protection against HBV at 9 months or at the baby’s 1 year checkup. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine for ALL babies, though it is especially important for a baby born to a woman with hepatitis B to receive the first dose of the vaccine as soon as possible, within 24 hours. HBIG may not be available in all countries or may be cost prohibitive. The hepatitis B vaccine series may be completed with the remaining monovalent  (single) injections of the HBV vaccine, or may be completed as part of a combination vaccine series. In developing countries combination vaccines such as the pentavalent vaccine are often

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/hepatitis-b-youre-pregnant/
  • The 3-Shot Hepatitis B Vaccine - Do I Need to Restart the Series if I Am Off the Recommended Schedule?

    The Hepatitis B vaccine is a safe and effective 3-shot series that protects against the hepatitis B virus.  If you do not have a current hepatitis B infection, or have not recovered from a past infection, then hepatitis B vaccination is an important way to protect yourself. The recommended schedule for the hepatitis B vaccine is to receive the first shot, followed in one month by the second shot.  Six months following the first shot, you should receive your third and final shot of the series. If you wish to ensure you have generated adequate immunity, and are protected, you can have your anti-HBs (HBsAb) titres checked 4-8 weeks following the last shot of the hepatitis B vaccine series.  If your titer is greater than 10 mIU/mL, then you have adequate immunity which is thought to confer lifetime immunity, but studies so far show 30 years.  This is because these studies are on-going! Please note that checking anti-HBs titres is not generally recommended for all vaccine recipients, with the exception of those that are at greater risk of infection.   This includes but is not limited to health care workers, those with sexual partners with hepatitis B, and those living in a household where someone is infected. Talk to your doctor if you think you might be at higher risk and need to have your titres checked. So what happens if you go for shot one, followed by shot two in a month, but you never get to shot three?  The minimum length of time between the three shots in the series is 0, 1 month, and 6 months.  This is the schedule recommended for the shortest amount of time, with the best immune response for the general population.  However, if you don’t get to shot three of the series for another two years, or if you never got to shot two, you can resume right from where you left off, and continue without the need for repeating the series. Just remember that you are not fully protected until you have completed the series. Here is a rule to remember the minimum time

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/the-3-shot-hbv-vaccine-do-i-need-to-restart-the-series-if-i-am-off-the-recommended-schedule/
  • Struggling with Depression and Hepatitis B? You’re Not Alone

    Image courtesy of Tuomas_Lehtinen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net. By Christine Kukka Studies show people with chronic hepatitis B have higher rates of depression and anxiety than the general population, which should surprise no one. There’s no cure, people with hepatitis B face stigma and discrimination, and when we disclose, we risk rejection or friends think we’ve done drugs or slept around. And, if we are people of color, we’re already viewed as outsiders or different already; a medical diagnosis just adds to our feeling of alienation. Sometimes, we need help. We need to be reminded once again that hepatitis B is nothing to be ashamed of, that millions of people around the world are infected not because they did anything wrong, but because it’s not a perfect world and not everyone had access to the hepatitis B vaccine at birth or sterile medical equipment or is able to practice safe sex 100 percent of the time. Some symptoms of depression include feeling sad, down, or just emotionally flat or apathetic. We may feel tired, irritable, or experience mood swings and find we are unable to concentrate. If we're taking antivirals, we may frequently forget to take our meds. We might also lose our appetite, sleep too much or too little, and fantasize about harming ourselves or even suicide. Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net It’s time to get some help. Medical guidelines usually recommend a combination of “talk” therapy and antidepressant medication. Talking to a therapist, especially if you’ve always kept your hepatitis B a secret, can help you get a better handle on your infection. It can be liberating to have another person challenge your cataclysmic view of life, especially if you’re you’ll never find love or happiness. It’s also good to join a support group or an email list to confirm that you’re not the only one in the world with hepatitis B. The other treatment for depression are antidepressant pills, taken daily.

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/struggling-depression-hepatitis-b-youre-not-alone/
  • Patient-facing infographics

    The resources presented here are based on data obtained from the Hepatitis B Foundation patient engagement survey in 2020. The survey was an anonymous and online and was offered globally for individuals living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and aged 18 years old and older. We received 1,707 responses from people living in 100 countries around the globe. The survey asked questions about participants’ experience living with chronic hepatitis B, such as the impact of CHB on their health, daily lives, and relationships. Respondents also answered questions about how they managed their CHB, and how they felt about clinical trials for new hepatitis B medications.  Additionally, the Hepatitis B Foundation conducted 24 one-on-one interviews with people living with CHB and asked them the same questions in more detail. We are sharing what we learned about respondents’ perspectives on the impact of CHB on their physical, emotional, social and professional lives. Individuals and organizations are welcome to use and share these resources to raise the awareness about the significant impact of living with CHB, and ways to mitigate it. Click the images below to see full size versions of the infographics.  For information about the patient engagement survey or interviews, please email us at info@hepb.org.    

    https://www.hepb.org/resources-and-support/patient-facing-infographics/
  • Chelle's Story

    As a child, Chelle grew up struggling with stomach problems that went undiagnosed. When she was 18, she learned she has hepatitis B after trying to donate to a military blood drive. Chelle faced isolation, stigma, and discrimination in her personal and professional life, including when the military moved her from the medical field to a supply career. More than three decades later, Chelle is back in the medical field, and all of her kids were successfully vaccinated against hepatitis B at birth. 

    https://www.hepb.org/research-and-programs/patient-story-telling-project/chelles-story/
  • New president announced for the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC)

    Louis P. Kassa, who has been with the PABC since 2014, currently is executive vice president and chief operating officer. Doylestown, Pa., Sept. 27, 2021 – Louis P.  Kassa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the nonprofit Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC), will become the center’s president in July 2022. He will succeed Timothy M. Block, PhD, who made the announcement today (Sept. 27). Dr. Block will become executive chair of the Hepatitis B Foundation Board of Directors, which governs the PABC and its two sister organizations, the Hepatitis B Foundation and Baruch S. Blumberg Institute. Kassa will serve as acting chief executive officer of those three entities. “The Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center will be in excellent hands with Lou Kassa at the helm,” Dr. Block said. “His hands are steady and his vision is far-sighted. With Lou as executive vice president, the PABC has nearly doubled in programmatic size and economic impact over the past seven years.” The PABC, which is one of the nation’s most successful life sciences incubators, is managed by the Blumberg Institute. Both were launched by the Hepatitis B Foundation, which was created by Dr. Block, his wife Joan and Jan and Paul Witte just over 30 years ago. Kassa joined all three organizations in 2014. The PABC has grown dramatically in recent years and now has 80 member companies, 46 of which have operations on site, filling the center to capacity. In October the PABC will complete a $20 million expansion project centered around a new building on its Doylestown campus. The rectangular, two-story structure will provide 15,000 square feet of new lab space, a more welcoming main entrance, additional offices and conference rooms plus a 200-seat event space. Most of the new space has been allocated to current member companies and the nonprofit organizations on site. Robert J. Harvie Jr., vice chair of the Board of Bucks County Commissioners, said: “It is rare to find an organization like the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, where there are so many leaders of exceptional quality.  Tim Block has left enormous shoes to fill, but Lou Kassa has proven himself to be an extraordinarily dedicated and talented executive. There is no doubt that Lou has the vision and drive to keep the PABC on an upward trajectory.” Loren Danzis, who chairs the PABC board and is a partner with Fox Rothschild LLP, said Kassa was the natural choice to succeed Dr. Block. “Lou has taken the operation to a new level and has the strategic leadership approach that will ensure the continued growth and evolution of the PABC,” Danzis said. “He inspires confidence among those who work for the organizations and our many partners, particularly the center’s member companies. The momentum that Lou has helped build is exciting and I’m eager to see what’s ahead for us.” In January, the PABC will be opening B.Labs at Cira Centre in partnership with Brandywine Realty Trust. B.Labs is a 50,000 square-foot life science incubator in the Schuylkill Yards neighborhood in University City, Philadelphia. Before joining the PABC and its sister organizations, Kassa previously was state director and chief operating officer of VisionQuest National Ltd., a behavioral health services provider. From 2015 to 2017, he worked part-time as the chief executive officer for Youth Services Agency, a non-profit social services agency. In 2017, Kassa co-founded Family Foundations Partnership and is currently its chief executive officer. A resident of Perkasie, Kassa earned a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from Penn State University in 1993. He earned a Master of Public Administration from Villanova University in 2007. About the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC): Launched 15 years ago, the PABC is a nonprofit life sciences incubator-accelerator, offering state-of-the-art laboratory and office space to early stage biotech companies, as well as the Hepatitis B Foundation and Blumberg Institute. Managed by the Blumberg Institute and led by a board appointed by the Foundation, PABC has nearly 80 member companies, mostly small to mid-size science, research and pharmaceutical companies. Close to 50 of those companies have on-site operations. The center uses a highly successful services-based approach to nurture and guide its member companies to success, advancing biotechnology, maximizing synergies among nonprofit scientists and their commercial colleagues, and launching new ideas and discoveries that will make a difference. PABC is just outside of Doylestown, the Bucks County seat, in the heart of the Philadelphia-New Jersey pharma belt. The PABC website provides details about PABC membership options and upcoming events. To make a donation to the PABC, click here.

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/new-president-announced-for-the-pennsylvania-biotechnology-center-pabc/
  • CHIPO Overview

    CHIPO, meaning “gift” in the Shona language, seeks to promote hepatitis B education and prevention among African communities, and the healthcare providers and organizations that serve them, through raising awareness, developing local and national partnerships, and advocating for increased screening and improved linkage to care services. We currently have almost 60 coalition partners around the U.S. and in Africa dedicated to addressing viral hepatitis in African communities. The primary goals of CHIPO are to: Discuss issues around the diagnosis and treatment of HBV among African people. Engage and further educate healthcare, service, and other providers about the importance of hepatitis B testing, prevention, and timely treatment. Ensure that African communities are represented in HBV discussions and programs regionally and nationally. Create and support infrastructure of a “Hepatitis B Among African Immigrants” workgroup. CHIPO strategies and activities include: Assessing current barriers to hepatitis B screening among African communities and developing strategies to reduce those barriers for the future. Coordinating and conducting awareness and educational presentations and events with and for the community. Sharing relevant topics, research, and interventions via presentations, conference calls, and webinars. Promoting the coalition and the work of coalition members, locally, nationally, and internationally. Contact us to learn more or join our coalition! We welcome any and all organizations and individuals who want to play a role in this exciting campaign. For more information, please contact beatrice.zovich@hepb.org or (215) 489-4900. Join us on social media!Facebook: Facebook.com/CHIPOCoalition Twitter: @CHIPO_HBV Instagram: @chipo_hbv Meeting Minutes April 2023 March 2023 January 2023 November 2022 July 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 December 2021 November 2021 July 2021 January 2021 November 2020 July 2020 May 2020 January 2020 July 2019

    https://www.hepb.org/research-and-programs/chipo/chipo-overview/
  • Alan's Story

    Many of Alan’s immediate family members passed away due to liver cancer, but it wasn’t until Alan himself became ill that the family realized the role hepatitis B played in these deaths. Alan talks about how stigma prevents open discussion about the virus and raises questions about the medical community’s failure to adequately address hepatitis B. He worries that continued silence will prevent others from knowing the same joy he experiences in his life. Alan's story is available in English and with Mandarin subtitles.   English   English with Mandarin subtitles

    https://www.hepb.org/research-and-programs/patient-story-telling-project/alans-story/
  • Viral Hepatitis Meetings in D.C.

    Last week was an eventful week for this HBV blogger.  I was fortunate to be able to attend the National Viral Hepatitis Technical Assistance and the National Viral Hepatitis Round Table (NVHR) meetings in Washington D.C. last Tuesday and Wednesday. These meetings were followed by Capitol Hill visits on Thursday by viral hepatitis advocates to their legislative offices. In attendance at the meeting were state viral hepatitis coordinators from around the country, other state health department personnel, government representatives from various agencies and organizations, and numerous viral hepatitis advocates from various non-profit organizations. It was a great opportunity to meet colleagues from all over the country dedicated to combating viral hepatitis in the United States. Please keep in mind that my background is patient oriented, and that I do not have a master’s degree in public health, nor do I have experience working in the public health system.  Keeping up with the political front is challenging as is keeping up with the public health system. I’m still trying to figure it all out. Both have their own language and acronyms. After a couple of days of meetings, I have a great deal of respect for those working in public health at both the federal and state level.  I also have a great deal of respect for those working to push policy on behalf of viral hepatitis. There’s always more to learn, but you can still make an impact by jumping in and getting involved at a number of different levels. A couple of messages were loud and clear at the meeting and you didn’t need to be an expert to understand them. Perhaps the biggest message is that funding for viral hepatitis public health programs is very limited and the burden is well beyond the level of funding.  This comes as no surprise since these are difficult times for both state and federal government programs.  This lack of funding will require that all health departments, government organizations and

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/viral-hepatitis-meetings-in-d-c/