Facts
About Hepatitis B Virus
Hepatitis is
a general term used to describe inflamation (swelling) of the liver.
Alcohol, certain chemicals or drugs, and viruses such as hepatitis
A, B, C, D, E and G may cause hepatitis.
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Hepatitis B is a serious, sometimes fatal disease, caused by a virus that infects and attacks the liver. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluid. It is primarily spread through sexual contact. |
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In studies that examine transmission following percutaneous exposure, HBV is 100 times more contagious than HIV. |
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HBV can also be transmitted indirectly because it can survive on surfaces dried and at room temperature for at least a week! That’s why contaminated surfaces are a major factor in the spread of HBV. |
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Each year there are up to 200,000 new infections and 5,000 hepatitis B related deaths in the U.S. (compared to 40,000 new HIV infections per year). |
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One in approximately 20 persons now has, or will one day have, hepatitis B. |
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Transmission of hepatitis B is preventable:
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