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  • Hemochromatosis: Treatment, the Liver, and Hepatitis B

    … a more severe version of the disorder called juvenile hemochromatosis. With juvenile hemochromatosis, patients experience an excessive amount of iron overload that can lead to liver and heart damage between the ages of 15 and 30. Hemochromatosis, the Liver, and Hepatitis B While the body needs a certain amount of iron to function, iron overload can be dangerous.  Hemochromatosis can lead to two major liver issues: hepatomegaly and cirrhosis. Hepatomegaly is the enlargement of the liver and cirrhosis is the scarring of the liver. Both issues can impair the liver’s ability to function and filter out toxins that enter the body. They can also increase a person’s risk of developing liver cancer. Recently, two major studies by the University of Exeter and the U.K. University of Connecticut, and the U.S. National Institute on Aging have found that a person living with hemochromatosis has four times the risk of developing a liver disease than a person who is living with the disorder. For individuals living with hepatitis B, it is extremely important to understand any behaviors or conditions that may have a negative impact on your liver. Since one liver disease can increase your risk of another liver disease, it is important to identify the disorder as early as possible, especially if you have any of the following risk factors: Risk Factors for Hereditary Hemochromatosis: Men or postmenopausal women Of Northern European descent Having a relative with hemochromatosis Risk Factors for Secondary Hemochromatosis: Alcoholism Family history of diabetes, heart disease, or liver disease Taking iron or vitamin C supplements Hepatitis B patients do not have an increased risk of developing hemochromatosis4. However, if you have any of the above risk factors, it is important to get tested. Hemochromatosis can easily be identified by a comprehensive look at a person’s family health history, a physical exam, and a simple blood sample. Your doctor will then use the blood

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/hemochromatosis-treatment-liver-hepatitis-b/
  • Valentine's Day: Dating, Love, and Hepatitis B

    … one year and would provide long term protection. Those that choose a shortened schedule will not have long term protection from hepatitis B if they do not complete the fourth dose. And your partner should have their blood tested 4 weeks after their last vaccine dose to confirm that they are protected. I’m scared to tell my partner that I have hepatitis B. It can be intimidating to tell a person something so personal, especially if you are uncertain about how they will react. However, it is extremely important! Even if you are using condoms, it is necessary to let your partner know your status before becoming intimate. Once you tell them, it will be a huge relief! So, how can you prepare for the conversation? Research: hepatitis B can be confusing, so it is important that you both are familiar with the infection, including how it is transmitted! Apart from HBF’s website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has great information and handouts (in multiple languages!) on the infection. Consider printing one or two fact sheets out for your partner to look over. Take a deep breath: Don’t rush into the conversation. Take a moment to think about what you want to say. This will help you to stay calm and allow the conversation to progress. Remember to let your partner talk as well! Speak confidently: Don’t let hepatitis B speak for you! Let your partner know what you’ve learned about your infection and inform them that you are regularly visiting the doctor to monitor the infection. Speaking confidently can help keep them calm as well, and assure them that there is nothing to worry about! If they react badly to the news at first, don't worry! Everybody processes things at different rates and many people fear what they don’t understand. Try giving them some space and let them think about the information they’ve been given. You can also show them Heng’s #justB video; it tells the story of a man who fell in love and married a woman who is

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/valentines-day-dating-love-hepatitis-b/
  • Know the Risk: Transmission Through Tattoos & Piercings

    … where you can get tested in the U.S., visit www.hepbunited.org. If you have been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, our Physicians Directory*  can help you locate a liver specialist near you. The World Hepatitis Alliance can also help you find health care services and hepatitis B education in your country. *Disclaimer The Hepatitis B Foundation Liver Specialist Directory is intended for use by the public to assist in locating a liver specialist within a specific state or country. All data is self-reported and is not intended for use by organizations requiring credentialing verification. The HBF does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or appropriateness for a particular purpose of the information contained in the Liver Specialist Directory. The HBF does not endorse the individuals listed in the service, nor does HBF verify medical qualifications, licenses, practice areas or suitability of those listed. In no event shall the HBF be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken by you based upon the information provided in the service. Note: This is not a physician referral service. The HBF cannot provide referrals to specific physicians nor advice on individual medical problems.

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/know-risk-transmission-tattoos-piercings/
  • The Link Between Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer

    … to the prevention of liver cancer. Approximately 292 million people around the world are living with hepatitis B. Liver Cancer by the Numbers: 10% of the world’s liver transplants are due to hepatitis B 60% of liver cancer diagnoses are due to cases of chronic hepatitis B 43% of liver cancer deaths are due to chronic hepatitis B 788,000 people die from liver cancer annually 15% - 25% of people who were infected with hepatitis B at birth will die prematurely from cirrhosis, liver failure, or hepatocellular carcinoma, if their hepatitis B is not diagnosed and appropriately managed 80% of liver cancer patients are in sub-Saharan Africa & in Eastern Asia Preventing Liver Cancer Educating oneself is the first step in preventing liver cancer! If you have hepatitis B, be aware of the risk factors and behaviors that can increase your likelihood of liver damage and liver cancer, such as consuming alcohol and high amounts of junk food. Groups such as the CDC Division of Viral Hepatitis, the American Cancer Foundation, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and the Cancer Support Community all provide free fact sheets, call lines, and literature by experts that can help you understand what may be occurring in your body and to make educated choices. You can also check out our Liver Cancer Connect resource for more information or for liver cancer support. Did you know that the hepatitis B vaccine is the first anti-cancer vaccine ever created? That’s because it helps to prevent liver cancer! Remember that the vaccine is typically given in a set of 3 doses. It is extremely important to take all three in order to receive lifelong protection from hepatitis B-related liver cancer: with the first dose you 50% protected, with the second dose you are 80% protected, and with the third dose, you are 100% immune to hepatitis B. In the U.S., there is also a 2-dose vaccine available, so you can be fully protected with fewer doses! If you are worried about

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/link-hepatitis-b-liver-cancer/
  • Be Your Own Advocate in the Medical Room

    … sure that all equipment that is being reused has been sterilized. Although there are no global sterilization standards, many countries and medical facilities around the world - like hospitals, dental offices, and doctor offices - have disinfection guidelines and practices for their equipment. Tips to Protect Yourself: Be your own advocate: Ask the dental hygienist, nurse, doctor, acupuncturist or person in charge of your procedure if the tools have been sterilized. Know where you go: Try to visit medical or dental facilities that you trust and that provide clean, safe environments for any procedures involving blood or body fluids. Get vaccinated: Hepatitis B is a vaccine preventable disease. After receiving all three doses, most people are protected for life! Check your immunization records to make sure that you have been vaccinated or ask your doctor or local clinic about the vaccine. Share with caution: Sharing or eating food prepared by someone with hepatitis B is safe, but any activities that may involve direct contact with blood carry a risk. A good guideline is to keep all personal hygiene items personal. If you think you have been exposed to hepatitis B, it is important to get tested. Visit your doctor or local health clinic to get screened. If you have been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, our Physicians Directory*  can help you locate a liver specialist near you. The World Hepatitis Alliance can also help you find health care services and hepatitis B education in your country. *Disclaimer The Hepatitis B Foundation Liver Specialist Directory is intended for use by the public to assist in locating a liver specialist within a specific state or country. All data is self-reported and is not intended for use by organizations requiring credentialing verification. The HBF does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or appropriateness for a particular purpose of the information contained in the Liver Specialist Directory. The HBF does not

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/be-your-own-advocate-in-the-medical-room/
  • What can I do if I live in the U.S. and the insurance co-pay for my hepatitis B drugs costs too much for me to buy them?

    While health insurance plans can’t openly reject people with hepatitis B, some have created a way to keep people from buying their policies. They have done this by dramatically increasing out-of-pocket costs for consumers. This deliberately makes their health plans unaffordable for people with hepatitis B, who may have to pay as much as 50% of the cost of their medication despite having insurance. Read our HepB Blog for more information about this issue.   The Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF) has also created a comprehensive report to help consumers identify factors to consider when choosing a health insurance plan and trends that may increase a person’s out-of-pocket treatment costs. Read the report here. You may also want to consult our webpage that discusses possible actions to take if someone is facing discriminatory practices by health insurance companies. Learn more about how to research drug prices on the healthcare marketplace (www.healthcare.gov). Download a free template to file a complaint with your state’s Bureau of Insurance and the U.S. Health and Human Services’ Civil Rights Office about health plan over-pricing of the hepatitis B antivirals [Vemlidy (tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)), Viread (tenofovir disoproxil (TDF)) and generic entecavir]. Read our instructions here. You can also check our page on “Medication Assistance Programs in the U.S.” that lists several sources of medication assistance through online pharmacies and patient support programs by some pharmaceutical companies. Most programs have eligibility criteria to benefit from them, so please check those criteria to see if you are eligible to enroll.  Some may find that prices available with online pharmacies are cheaper than using insurance.

    https://www.hepb.org/what-is-hepatitis-b/faqs/what-can-i-do-if-i-live-in-the-u-s-and-the-insurance-co-pay-for-my-hepatitis-b-drugs-costs-too-much-for-me-to-buy-them/
  • Nina Le Bert, PhD

    Senior Research Fellow in Professor Antonio Bertoletti’s laboratory at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore Nina Le Bert investigates human immunology with a specific interest in the role of antigen-specific T and B cells in control and pathogenesis of viral infections. She is a Senior Research Fellow in Professor Antonio Bertoletti’s laboratory at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, specialized in the field of viral hepatitis and T cells. Here, she studies the role of antigen-specific T and B cells in control of chronic HBV infection. First, she established that HBV-specific T cells associate with viral control upon therapy discontinuation in chronic HBV patients. This study demonstrated that the measurement of HBV-specific T cells has the potential to serve as an immunological biomarker for the stratification of chronically infected patients and could guide treatment decisions. Then, together with a PhD student under her supervision, she demonstrated that HBsAg-specific B cells are dysfunctional in chronic HBV infection but are amenable to a partial rescue by B cell–maturing cytokines and PD-1 blockade. Subsequently, she showed that rather the duration than the quantity of HBsAg associates with deletion and exhaustion of HBsAg-specific T cells in chronic HBV patients. HBsAg-specific T cells are only present in the early stages of chronic HBV infection and nearly undetectable in patients above 35 years old, suggesting that novel therapies aimed at inhibiting HBsAg production might show more efficacy in younger patients. More recently, she is leading the immune profiling of HBV-HCC patients pre- and post-immunotherapy with TCR-redirected T cells in the laboratory, to establish early immunological correlates with therapy efficacy.   Read the journal picks of the month from our Emerging Scholars Scientific and Medical Advisory Board here.  

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/reports/emerging-scholars-scientific-and-medical-advisors/nina-le-bert-phd/
  • Tung-Hung Su, MD, PHD

    Clinical Associate ProfessorNational Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan Dr. Tung-Hung Su received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the National Taiwan University College of Medicine. He is an attending physician and his research focuses on translational research on the treatment of liver fibrosis, and management of viral hepatitis B, C, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Read the journal picks of the month from our Emerging Scholars Scientific and Medical Advisory Board here.  

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/reports/emerging-scholars-scientific-and-medical-advisors/tung-hung-su-md-phd/
  • Career Opportunities

    Join our amazing team of world-changers!  The Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected with chronic hepatitis B worldwide. We are committed to raising public awareness, promoting prevention, providing information and support to those affected, and funding hepatitis B research. HBF fosters a culture of collaboration, professional and personal growth. This is a chance to be part of a highly impactful, creative, supportive, and welcoming team. The office is a flexible, hybrid work environment. Salary is commensurate with experience, and HBF offers an excellent benefits package. Current Opportunities:  No current openings.

    https://www.hepb.org/about-us/career-opportunities/
  • Jason's Story

    After moving back home to seek treatment for hepatitis B, struggling to find any hepatitis B specialists, and a going through a disastrous experience with one provider, Jason finally located a caring and knowledgeable doctor who gave him hope.  

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