These places are mainly among the poorest countries in Africa and Asia. Help is on the way, if belatedly. The alliance, working with the Children s Vaccine Project, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and others will work to extend vaccination worldwide. The second reason that so many still die from hepatitis B is that the virus is a slow, stealthy killer. Eating away at the liver, eventually causing severe cirrhosis or cancer, the virus often kills 30-40 years after infection.
Most infections occur during childhood.
So, while Beasley s efforts have helped save lives worldwide, the potential impact of his work long-term is enormous, Goldstein said. Margolis explained that the biggest impact from vaccination will be seen in declining death rates 30 to 40 years out. Millions of people in the prime of life, who would otherwise have been destined for an early death, will live. Quite a non-event.