The PDF version of this item has the same formatting as the original printed document and is suitable for reproduction. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it. The web version below contains the full text of this item without the original formatting. Hepatitis B is a disease that is caused by a virus. This virus is common in many places throughout the world, including Asia, the Pacific Islands, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and areas of South America, as well as Alaska and Hawaii.
Viruses can cause many kinds of illnesses like colds, chickenpox, and diarrhea.
The hepatitis B virus infects the liver and injures it. The concern about hepatitis B is that babies and young children who are infected are likely to develop chronic infection, which has a significant risk of leading to liver failure or liver cancer, usually in adulthood. Chronic hepatitis B occurs when someone has had hepatitis B virus in his or her blood for at least six months. They may carry the virus in their blood for the rest of their lives. It will rarely go away on its own.