Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the many causes
of inflammation of the liver, also known as hepatitis. Clinical
symptoms of HBV infection include fatigue, which is often worse in
the evening, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fever and
abdominal pain. Some infected individuals may not exhibit symptoms
at all.
1 Of the 2 billion people who have been infected
with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), approximately 350 million have
chronic infections .
2 Chronic HBV infection increases
the risk for cirrhosis, liver failure and/or liver cancer. Death
from chronic liver disease occurs in 15-25% of chronically infected
persons. Without vaccination, chronic infection occurs in 90% of
infants infected at birth, 30% of children infected at age 1-5
years, and 6% of the persons infected after age 5 years.
Approximately 30% of infected people have no signs or symptoms of
chronic Hepatitis B virus infection making them more likely to
spread the disease.
3
For more information about Hepatitis B infection and chronic
hepatitis, please follow the links indicated below:
1 Talwalkar JA, and M. R. Charlton. 2003. Hepatitis, pp.
455-472,
in Medical Management of Infectious Disease, CJ
Grace (ed.). Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.
2 World Health Organization. Hepatitis B.
http://www.who.intlmediacentre/factsheets/fs204/en.
Last updated October 2000. Accessed July 1, 2004.
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevetnion. Hepatitis
B Fact Sheet.
http://www.cdc.gov.ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/fact.htm.
Last updated August 6 2003. Accessed January 26, 2004.