Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious bloodborne infection that can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure and death. The CDC estimates there are 140,000 to 320,000 new infections per year in the United States. The CDC also estimates that each year, approximately 5,000 people in the United States die of cirrhosis of the liver as a result of Hepatitis B and another 1,500 will die of liver cancer. The Hepatitis B virus can be transmitted perinatally, sexually or through direct contact with blood via non-intact skin, mucous membrane or sharing of needles. Individuals at risk of infection include: IV drug users, sexually active heterosexuals and homosexuals who do not practice "safe sex", infants born to infected mothers, health care workers and hemodialysis patients.

Symptoms can be mild and even be passed off as a touch of the flu. People may experience one or more of the following symptoms in varying degrees: 1) loss of appetite; 2) nausea and vomiting; 3) fever;

4) weakness, fatigue, for several weeks or months; 5) dark urine and 6) jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes).

During 1995-1999, The Bureau of Epidemiology received 2267 reports of Hepatitis B cases for residents of the city of Houston, 18 percent (409) were newly acquired. More men (62 percent) than women had acute or newly acquire Hepatitis B. Some of the test results the Bureau received were done as part of a prenatal or pregnancy screen. The bureau refers Hepatitis B case reports to the Immunization Bureau so the household members can be tested and vaccinated when indicated.

For additional information about Hepatitis B, call the Bureau of Epidemiology at (713) 794-9181. For more information about the Hepatitis B vaccine call The Immunization Bureau at (713) 794-9267.

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