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  • Facing the Threat of Hepatitis B Following Sexual Coercion or Assault

    … antibodies). If the victim has been vaccinated in the past, he or she should immediately get a hepatitis B vaccine dose (called a booster dose.) When the perpetrator's hepatitis B status is not known: If the victim has not been immunized against hepatitis B, he or she should received the hepatitis B vaccine series. If the victim has already been vaccinated against hepatitis B, no treatment is needed. In South Africa, for example, women’s inability to control their lives sexually is fueling the HIV epidemic. One study that followed 1,500 pregnant women who were in married or stable relationships found an astonishing HIV infection rate of 38 percent. Many reported having been abused physically and sexually in the recent past, which helps explain why AIDS is now the biggest killer of young women in southern Africa. Image courtesy of Sira Anamwong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net Sexual assault is not always accompanied by physical violence. A woman may not have the power to require her partner to use a condom without risking physical or verbal abuse, or a person may not tell his or her sexual partner that they have hepatitis B. Coercion can be silent, and fueled by ignorance and low self-esteem. Here is an email that the Hepatitis B Foundation recently received that illustrates this: “My boyfriend is hepatitis B and C positive, as he was a drug addict. We had unprotected sex often over two to three months. I want to ask, is there any chance of myself being infected?” Sadly, this woman is at very high risk of infection, especially from hepatitis B. What stopped her from insisting he wear a condom or walking away from a relationship with a man who had little concern for her health and welfare? Poverty, a lack of choices, resources and education, and a host of other factors stop victims from walking away from their abusers every day around the world. To protect the health of people around the world, we need to fight in any way we can to stop sexual violence, protect

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/facing-threat-hepatitis-b-following-sexual-coercion-assault/
  • The Hepatitis B Community Cringes As Vaccine Skeptics Take the Stage in Washington

    Image courtesy of Tuomas_Lehtinen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net By Christine Kukka In a profound blow to science, public health and the hepatitis B community, President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly asking Robert F. Kennedy Jr. -- who believes that vaccines cause autism -- to chair a national commission on vaccines. Countless studies show vaccines are safe and effective and do not cause autism. The hepatitis B vaccine alone has contributed to an 82 percent drop in this deadly liver disease in the U.S. since 1991. Before universal childhood immunizations became available, one in 20 Americans had been infected with hepatitis B. Sadly, that spectacular success has not quieted vaccine skeptics. It is heart-breaking to hear that an anti-vaccine activist may gain a public forum to promote his scientifically-unfounded opinions. If the hepatitis B vaccine had been available to my daughter and millions of others around the world at birth, there would be fewer people with chronic hepatitis B, fewer deaths from liver disease and cancer and far less anguish, fear and stigma. Vaccines safely and effectively prevent disease, and all of us who have been touched by hepatitis B can attest to their life-saving value. Let’s review the indisputable scientific facts about vaccines, and why this controversy has resurfaced. In 1998, the well-respected medical journal Lancet published a paper by researcher Andrew Wakefield and 12 of his colleagues linking a standard measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and its preservative  thimerosal to autism. Despite its tiny sample size (just 12 children) and its speculative conclusions, the study was publicized and bolstered the anti-vaccine movement. The study proved to be a fraud. Editors of the Lancet later retracted the report, and additional investigations into the study found some of children in the study did even have autism. But the damage was done and hepatitis B vaccine makers and others scrambled to remove thimerasol from their

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/hepatitis-b-community-cringes-vaccine-skeptics-take-stage-washington/
  • Kate Moraras: Making Sure Federal Policies Work to Eliminate Hepatitis B Locally

    Kate Moraras, Hepatitis B Foundation senior program director and Hep B United director. By Christine Kukka It’s Kate Moraras’ job to make sure federal programs crafted in the elite halls and federal agencies of Capitol Hill are what's really needed to eliminate hepatitis B in Asian-American, African and other at-risk communities across the country. Simply put, her goal is to eradicate, "the most staggering health disparity facing immigrant communities." The people on whose behalf Moraras works are among the most vulnerable and powerless in the country. They include Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and African immigrants who were infected at birth or by contaminated syringes or medical tools in their countries of origin. As senior program director at the Hepatitis B Foundation and director of the Hep B United national coalition for the past three years, Moraras has worked with federal officials and dozens of hepatitis community advocates across the country to align federal policy with the need of diverse, hard-to-reach communities. “I have always been drawn to systems-level change and I saw public health policy as a key area where there are opportunities to make an impact,” she explained. She was energized by the prospect of finding solutions that would improve healthcare at the individual and community level, and she obtained her master in public health at George Washington University. After graduation, Moraras learned about hepatitis B when she was working on AAPI health disparities in the federal government. “Then, my uncle found out he had chronic hepatitis B when he tried to donate blood,” she recalled. Suddenly, what had been a matter of political injustice became a personal cause and she began working at the foundation. Moraras knows federal policies don't succeed unless they make a difference on the streets of America. “Grassroots and culturally-focused organizations are pivotal to eradicating hepatitis B because they know their

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/kate-moraras-making-sure-federal-policies-work-eliminate-hepatitis-b-locally/
  • Global Researchers Brainstorm Solutions in the Search for a Cure for Hepatitis B

    Timothy Block, cofounder and president of the Hepatitis B Foundation and the Baruch Blumberg Institute, discussed reducing hepatitis B surface antigen production as a strategy to stop chronic hepatitis B infection at the workshop. By Christine Kukka Liver specialists, virologists and immunologists from around the world met at the 3rd International Workshop on a Hepatitis B Cure in Toronto last week to share their advances and brainstorm solutions to the challenges they face as they hunt for a cure for the liver infection that affects 240 million worldwide. Eradicating hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is no easy task. HBV is a far more complicated and resilient virus than hepatitis C, and scientists predict a cure will require a careful orchestration of drugs and immune-enhancing treatments that could: Eliminate HBV antigens—especially the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). This viral protein appears able to "exhaust" or disable the immune system’s T cells so they’re unable to effectively fight the infection. Find a vulnerability in the HBV replication cycle that can be exploited to keep the virus from entering liver cells and inserting its genetic material (cccDNA) required for viral reproduction. Enhance or “wake up” the exhausted T cells, after HBsAg is reduced or eliminated, so the immune system can successfully eradicate the HBV-infected liver cells. As researchers learn more about why HBV is so successful at evading the immune system and hijacking liver cells for viral production, they are also realizing how much they don’t know and what tools they lack to identify if and when they find successful treatment strategies. Here are some of the challenges the researchers addressed during the day-long brainstorming session. Panelists (left to right) Jordan Feld of the Toronto Western Hospital Liver Center, Stephen Urban, head of Translational Virology at Heidelberg University Hospital, Harry Janssen, head of the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease,

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/global-researchers-brainstorm-solutions-search-cure-hepatitis-b/
  • How Much Do You Really Know About Sex and Hepatitis B? Take This Quiz and Find Out

    Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee at FreeDigitalPhotos.net. By Christine Kukka It’s Sexual Health Awareness month and a great time to test your knowledge about how hepatitis B is -- and isn’t -- spread sexually. We know hepatitis B is easily transmitted through sex. It's a resilient virus, can live for up to a week on a dry surface and it’s 50- to 100-times more infectious than HIV.  In fact, sexual contact is the most common way hepatitis B is spread in the United States. So let’s see how much you know: I’m in my 20s and can safely assume everyone has been vaccinated against hepatitis B, so I don’t have to disclose my infection.   True or False? False. New hepatitis B cases have indeed been steadily declining since the vaccine was introduced in the 1980s, but not everyone has been vaccinated. Here's proof. As a result of the heroin epidemic sweeping through rural America, new hepatitis B infections have risen for the first time in decades among 20- and 30-year-olds who were not lucky enough to be immunized during childhood. Oral sex doesn’t transmit hepatitis B.   True or False? It’s complicated. There are no confirmed reports of hepatitis B infection resulting from oral sex, but there’s still a risk for infection. If you have a high viral load (HBV DNA), you may still be putting partners at risk of infection if they have bleeding gums, mouth sores, or anything that increases the likelihood of infectious fluids entering their bodies. Bottom line, oral sex has a lower risk of spreading hepatitis B than other sexual practices, but some risk remains. And don’t forget, other sexually-transmitted infections such as  chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are spread through oral sex. Using a condom or dental dam reduces infection risk. Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net. An uninfected woman is at higher risk of catching hepatitis B from an infected male partner, than an uninfected man who has sex with an infected

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/much-really-know-sex-hepatitis-b-take-quiz-find/
  • Two hepatitis B medications available free through Hepatitis B Foundation and Rx Outreach partnership

    Patients seeking tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) or entecavir at no cost, must meet the income eligibility requirements for Rx Outreach and enroll through a Hepatitis B Foundation web page, rxoutreach.org/hepb. St. Louis, Mo. – Dec. 6, 2021   Two national nonprofit organizations have announced a new venture to provide two of the most commonly prescribed medications for chronic hepatitis B at no cost to people in need. Hundreds of people across the country are expected to benefit from the program.     The Hepatitis B Foundation and Rx Outreach, the nation's largest nonprofit, online pharmacy, began working together in 2019, when staff from Hepatitis B Foundation asked Rx Outreach to add hepatitis B medications to the formulary. “At the time, nearly 20 percent of our phone calls were directly related to the rising cost of medicines. People were really struggling,” explained Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, senior vice president of the Hepatitis B Foundation. Rx Outreach added the two front-line medications for chronic hepatitis B infection – generic Viread® (tenofovir) and generic Baraclude® (entecavir) – and offered the medications at a discounted price. These medications will now be available free to a limited number of people referred to Rx Outreach by the Hepatitis B Foundation. The program is supported by donations. To receive tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) or entecavir at no cost, patients must meet the income eligibility requirements for Rx Outreach and enroll through a Hepatitis B Foundation landing page, rxoutreach.org/hepb.  A valid prescription is required. Once this is received, the medication will be mailed directly to the patient’s home. Rx Outreach serves all people regardless of their health insurance status or immigration status. The medications are available free for a limited time. Known for their exceptional attention to improving the quality of life for those affected by hepatitis B worldwide through education and patient advocacy, as well as their focus on finding a cure through research, the Hepatitis B Foundation is a global leader in the field. The organization is recognized for making great strides for this mostly overlooked and underfunded disease. “We are excited to continue our partnership with the Hepatitis B Foundation,” said Julie Erickson, President/CEO at Rx Outreach. “Their work not only improves access to life-saving treatment for people living with hepatitis B, but it also creates informative change within the field” Last year 988 people living with hepatitis B signed up through the Hepatitis B Foundation’s website to receive their medications at a discount from Rx Outreach. Rx Outreach carries more 1,000 free and low-cost medications for people who are uninsured or underinsured. “With rising food and energy costs, we know that some people will be forced to skip their medications. Our hope is that through our partnership, the people our organizations serve will have a higher quality of life by easing the burden of crucial medications.” said Bill Vatterott, marketing manager. About Rx Outreach: Rx Outreach is the nation's largest, non-profit, fully licensed, online pharmacy.  Missioned to provide affordable medication to the underserved, Rx Outreach partners with hundreds of clinics and organizations across the U.S. to provide a crucial health safety net for those who struggle with health issues and the high cost of medications. Since 2010, Rx Outreach has saved people more than $870 million on their prescription medications. Rx Outreach was named as one of the Top 5 “Best Online Pharmacies” by Money Magazine in 2020 and 2021. To learn more, go to www.rxoutreach.org or call 1-888-RXO-1234. 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/new-patwo-hepatitis-b-medications-available-free-through-hepatitis-b-foundation-and-rx-outreach-partnership/
  • Can I catch hepatitis B from the vaccine?

    No. You cannot get hepatitis B from the vaccine because it does not contain any live virus or blood products. The vaccine is made from a synthetic yeast product in a laboratory. The most common side effects are redness and soreness in the arm where the shot is given. Find more Frequently Asked Questions here.  Page updated 02/09/2022

    https://www.hepb.org/what-is-hepatitis-b/faqs/can-i-catch-hepatitis-b-from-the-vaccine/
  • Roger's Story

    Roger felt he was in good health because he was active, worked out regularly, and had regular medical checkups. After a physical, Roger was surprised to learn he has hepatitis B. He set about researching the disease, and he discovered he had been infected as a child. His education also led to his family members getting tested and vaccinated to prevent infection. Roger began taking medication and is living healthier now than ever.    

    https://www.hepb.org/research-and-programs/patient-story-telling-project/rogers-story/

  • B型肝炎の血液検査  B型肝炎の血液検査はありますか？ 「B型肝炎血液パネル検査」と呼ばれるB型肝炎の検査があり、医師や診療所を介して注文することができます。血液検体は、病院で採取します。 この血液パネル検査は共通の3つの検査で構成されています。担当医師は、患者が最初に診察を受けてB型肝炎だと確定された6ヶ月後に、もう一度血液検査を受けるように指示する場合もあります。最近B型肝炎に感染した場合、血液中にウイルスが検出されるまで最大9ヶ月かかります。 B型肝炎の血液検査の結果がわかりにくく、本当にB型肝炎に感染しているのか、B型肝炎から回復したのか、あるいは慢性B型肝炎に感染しているのかどうか、診断結果を確かめたい場合もあるでしょう。 その場合は、血液検査の結果を書面で請求することで、検査の結果を詳しく知ることができます。 「B型肝炎の血液パネル検査」を構成する3つの要素とは何ですか？ B型肝炎の血液パネル検査で必要な血液検体は1つだけですが、最終的な診断を下すために検査を3回行う必要があります。 HBsAg（B型肝炎の表面抗原） HBsAb または抗HBs（B型肝炎の表面抗体） HBcAb または抗HBc（B型肝炎のコア抗体） B型肝炎の表面抗原（HBsAg）とは何ですか？  HBsAgの検査結果が「陽性」だと、「急性」または「慢性」のB型肝炎に感染していることを意味します。感染者は、血液を介してウイルスを他人に感染させてしまう可能性があります。 B型肝炎の表面抗体（HBsAbまたは抗HBｓ）とは何ですか？ HBsAb（または抗HBｓ）の検査結果が「陽性」だと、B型肝炎ワクチンが効果を示した、または急性B型肝炎から回復したことを意味します。この結果は（陰性のHbsAg結果と合わせて）、今後のB型肝炎感染に対して免疫がある（守られる）ことを意味します。 B型肝炎のコア抗体（HBcAb）とは何ですか？ HBcAbはB型肝炎ウイルスの一部を構成する抗体で、それ自体はウイルスから守ってくれるものではありません。HBsAb（または抗HBｓ）の検査結果が「陽性」だと、過去にB型肝炎に感染していた、あるいは現在感染していることを意味します。この検査結果の解釈は、その他の2つの検査結果によって異なります。保護表面抗体（陽性HBsAbまたは抗HBs）の出現は、過去に感染したことがあり、回復したことを意味します。慢性B型肝炎の感染者の場合、保護表面抗体はウイルスとともに出現します（陽性HBsAg）。 Hepatitis B Blood Tests 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).

    https://www.hepb.org/languages/japanese/bloodtests/
  • Xuan's Story

    Sitting in the doctor’s office and acting as an interpreter for her Vietnamese-speaking father, 12 year-old Xuan found out that he has hepatitis B. With the support of family, doctors, and healthcare workers, Xuan’s father started to learn about the virus and take control of his life. Xuan is now an advocate for multilingual resources to address hepatitis B, particularly in her local Vietnamese community. Xuan's story is available in English and with Vietnamese subtitles.   English   English with Vietnamese subtitles

    https://www.hepb.org/research-and-programs/patient-story-telling-project/xuans-story/