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One out of every 20 people in the United States will become infected with hepatitis B at some point
during their life. People who are at increased risk for contracting hepatitis B include:
- Asian-Pacific Americans: While 0.3% of the United States population has chronic hepatitis B, Asian-Pacific Americans make up more than half of the 1.3 to 1.5 million people with hepatitis B.
- Infants and Children of Immigrants from Areas with High Rates of HBV Infection
- Sexually Active Adults and Teenagers: this includes people who have had multiple sex partners (past or present); people who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease; and men who have sex with men.
- Healthcare and Public Safety Workers
- Injection Drug Users
- People Who Get Tattoos or Body Piercings
- Babies Born to Mothers Who Are HBV Carriers: 90 percent of babies who have hepatitis B at birth will be infected for the rest of their lives.
Other high-risk groups include partners of or people living in close household contact with
an infected person, people who
travel to countries where hepatitis B is common, and people who have hemophilia (a rare, inherited disorder in which the blood does not clot normally).
If you are in one of these high-risk groups or think you may have been in contact with a
person infected with HBV, it is important that you visit your doctor or clinic. A simple blood
test can easily determine whether or not you have been infected.
To find out more about
getting tested for hepatitis B, click here.
Patients should be aware of
Important Safety Information about Hepsera and may read additional
patient information.
It is important that you discuss your
treatment options and any questions that you may have with your healthcare
provider.
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