Jade Ribbon Campaign
Encyclopedia
The Jade Ribbon Campaign (JRC) was launched by the Asian Liver Center
(ALC) at Stanford University
in May 2001 during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
to help spread awareness internationally about hepatitis B (HBV) and liver cancer
in Asian and Pacific Islander (API)
communities.
The objective of the Jade Ribbon Campaign is twofold: (1) to eradicate HBV worldwide; and (2) to reduce the incidence and mortality associated with liver cancer.
Considered to be the essence of heaven and earth, Jade
is believed in many Asian cultures to bring good luck and longevity while deflecting negativity. Folded like the Chinese character
“人” (ren) meaning "person" or "people," the Jade Ribbon symbolizes the spirit of the campaign in bringing the Asian and global community together to combat this silent epidemic.
has been spearheading the Jade Ribbon Campaign through public service announcements in various media such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboard, and buses targeting communities with large API populations. The ALC also holds numerous seminars for health professionals and the public, cultural fairs, conferences, and HBV screening/vaccination events.
Adrian Elkins inspired the Asian Liver Center to start LIVERight
on the go!, a 5K Run/Walk to raise awareness about hepatitis B and liver cancer in the Asian Pacific Islander community.
On April 30, 2005 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, the Asian Liver Center and the Answer to Cancer Foundation hosted LIVERight, the first 5K run/walk to raise awareness about hepatitis B and liver cancer.
On November 11, 2006, the 2nd annual LIVERight was held at Stanford's Sand Hill Fields. The community event had 700 registered participants, 100 volunteers, and raised over $135,000.
The 3rd Annual LIVERight 5k Run/Walk took place on May 10, 2008. It had over 600 registered runners and raised over $100,000 to fight hepatitis B and liver cancer.
The 4th Annual LIVERight 5k Run/Walk was held on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. The over 400 runners raised over $100,000 to fight liver cancer and hepatitis B.
The goal of LIVERight was not only to raise money to support ALC's outreach efforts, but more importantly to educate and increase awareness of this pressing public health issue. Educational displays, informational booths and course signs were unique and significant components to the event. The education allowed participants to learn more about hepatitis B prevention and treatment, as well as hear the real stories about the lives lost and won to liver cancer.
The mission of Team HBV is to advance the goals of the ALC at college campuses across the United States to help fight hepatitis B and liver cancer worldwide.
Adopted by the Asian Liver Center in Fall 2006, the first official Team HBV chapters were founded in Cornell, Duke, and University of California, Berkeley. There are now Team HBV Collegiate Chapters at Duke, Cornell, UC Berkeley, Stanford, Brown, UC Davis, Harvard, Wesleyan, the University of Pennsylvania, Rice, Wesleyan, and UC San Diego, and international chapters at Jiaotong University in China, Central University for Nationalities, Tsinghua University, and Minzu University of China.
The Inaugural Team HBV Collegiate Conference, organized by the Asian Liver Center, brings together individuals representing Team HBV chapters worldwide, Jade Ribbon Campaign advocates, and hepatitis B and liver cancer experts. The conference provides a professional forum for Team HBV chapters to share insights, best practices, and strategies to advance hepatitis B outreach, education, and communication. The first Team HBV Collegiate Conference took place November 2009 at Stanford University.
is a citywide campaign to turn San Francisco into the first hepatitis B free city in the nation. This unprecedented 2-year-long campaign beginning April 2007 will screen, vaccinate and treat all San Francisco Asian and Pacific Islander (API) residents of hepatitis B (HBV) by providing convenient, free or low-cost testing opportunities at partnering health facilities and events.
The SF Hep B Free campaign puts San Francisco at the forefront of America in fighting chronic hepatitis. It will be the largest, most intensive healthcare campaign for Asian and Pacific Islanders in the US This initiative has received national attention and is being looked to as a model by the California legislature. Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and Supervisor Ed Jew are leading the effort with more than 50 healthcare and Asian Pacific Islander organizations. The SF Board of Supervisors and SF Health Commission have passed unanimous resolutions supporting SF Hep B Free.
The slogan for Cal Hep B Free is: B SMART, B TESTED, B FREE! and outlines the specific objectives of the campaign:
population has chronic hepatitis B infection, APIs make up more than half of the 1.3-1.5 million known hepatitis B carriers. Depending on the country of origin, 5-15% of foreign born APIs in the US are hepatitis B carriers. In some Pacific Rim
countries, as many as 10-20% of the population are hepatitis B carriers.
Despite the availability of the hepatitis B vaccine, vaccination rates outside the US are low and hepatitis B remains a global health problem. Therefore, many children worldwide remain unvaccinated and many adults may be chronic carriers. The World Health Organization (WHO)
estimates that there are 350-400 million people with chronic hepatitis B and many are not even aware of their condition. Although most hepatitis B carriers have no symptoms, they can still transmit the infection and develop liver cancer.
(HBsAg), a marker for chronic infection. Since the detection of hepatitis B is so easily missed, even by doctors, it is also up to the patient to specifically request the HBsAg test. Early detection not only benefits the person tested, but prevents infection from being passed silently from one child to another, and from one generation to another.
In addition, misconceptions about the endemic nature of hepatitis B in the API population and the efficacy of US vaccination programs has led many individuals and health-care providers to overlook the need for testing for APIs.
(liver damage leading to scarring and eventually death from liver failure
). Some develop cancer as early as 30 years of age. Every year, approximately one million people worldwide die from the disease because they are not diagnosed before the point where current treatment can be effective. Because so many chronically infected individuals feel perfectly healthy even with early liver cancer, the disease can progress without the carrier even knowing. When symptoms do appear, it is often only at the late stages of the disease. All people with chronic hepatitis B infection, whether they feel healthy or sick, are at risk for developing liver cancer or cirrhosis. Finding the cancer when it is small by regular screening remains the best chance of surviving liver cancer.
Hepatitis B is one of the largest health threats for Asians and Pacific Islanders. All individuals of Asian descent should request the hepatitis B surface antigen test (HBsAg) to identify infection. Also, individuals should request the hepatitis B surface antibody test (HBsAb) to identify immunity. 5%-10% of those vaccinated do not develop the antibodies and are not protected. The only way to prevent deaths from liver cancer is to identify chronic HBV individuals early enough for treatment.
Asian Liver Center
The Asian Liver Center is a non-profit organization at Stanford University that researches the high incidence of hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asians and Asian Americans...
(ALC) at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in May 2001 during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month , officially proclaimed "Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month" by President Barack Obama, is a celebration of the culture, traditions, and history of Asians Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States...
to help spread awareness internationally about hepatitis B (HBV) and liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
in Asian and Pacific Islander (API)
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
communities.
The objective of the Jade Ribbon Campaign is twofold: (1) to eradicate HBV worldwide; and (2) to reduce the incidence and mortality associated with liver cancer.
Considered to be the essence of heaven and earth, Jade
Jade
Jade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...
is believed in many Asian cultures to bring good luck and longevity while deflecting negativity. Folded like the Chinese character
Chinese character
Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages...
“人” (ren) meaning "person" or "people," the Jade Ribbon symbolizes the spirit of the campaign in bringing the Asian and global community together to combat this silent epidemic.
Outreach efforts
Since the campaign's founding, the Asian Liver Center (ALC)Asian Liver Center
The Asian Liver Center is a non-profit organization at Stanford University that researches the high incidence of hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asians and Asian Americans...
has been spearheading the Jade Ribbon Campaign through public service announcements in various media such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboard, and buses targeting communities with large API populations. The ALC also holds numerous seminars for health professionals and the public, cultural fairs, conferences, and HBV screening/vaccination events.
3 For Life
One of the ALC's largest achievements was the founding of 3 for Life in September 2004, a pilot program in collaboration with the San Francisco Department of Public Health that provided low-cost hepatitis A and B vaccinations and free hepatitis B testing to the San Francisco community every first and third Saturday of the month for a year. The program tested and vaccinated over 1,200 people—50% of which were found to be unprotected against HBV and 10% to be positive for HBV. Upon the completion of 3 for Life in September 2005, the ALC currently is working on plans to launch a similar screening/vaccination program to service the large API population in Los Angeles.LIVERight
The Answer to Cancer (A2C) run was founded by Adrian Elkins, a 20-year-old student at Southern Oregon University who was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2002. Had he known during his childhood that his ethnicity and chronic hepatitis B infection increased his chance of developing liver cancer by 100%, he would have been regularly monitored for liver damage. He had no idea that hepatitis B – a disease he contracted at birth in Calcutta, India – causes 80% of the world's liver cancer cases. Adrian battled his disease for ten months, working tirelessly to organize an event to raise money for liver cancer research. Adrian saw the first-ever A2C run take place on August 8, 2003. Thanks to the generous support of friends, families and numerous companies, the 2003 Answer to Cancer Race was able to raise more than $20,000 for three charities and reach out to more than 240 participants. Adrian died only eight days after this first race.Adrian Elkins inspired the Asian Liver Center to start LIVERight
LIVERight
LIVERight is the first 5K run/walk to raise awareness about hepatitis B and liver cancer.The goal of LIVERight was not only to raise money for outreach efforts, but more importantly to educate and increase awareness of this pressing public health issue. Educational displays, informational booths...
on the go!, a 5K Run/Walk to raise awareness about hepatitis B and liver cancer in the Asian Pacific Islander community.
On April 30, 2005 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, the Asian Liver Center and the Answer to Cancer Foundation hosted LIVERight, the first 5K run/walk to raise awareness about hepatitis B and liver cancer.
On November 11, 2006, the 2nd annual LIVERight was held at Stanford's Sand Hill Fields. The community event had 700 registered participants, 100 volunteers, and raised over $135,000.
The 3rd Annual LIVERight 5k Run/Walk took place on May 10, 2008. It had over 600 registered runners and raised over $100,000 to fight hepatitis B and liver cancer.
The 4th Annual LIVERight 5k Run/Walk was held on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. The over 400 runners raised over $100,000 to fight liver cancer and hepatitis B.
The goal of LIVERight was not only to raise money to support ALC's outreach efforts, but more importantly to educate and increase awareness of this pressing public health issue. Educational displays, informational booths and course signs were unique and significant components to the event. The education allowed participants to learn more about hepatitis B prevention and treatment, as well as hear the real stories about the lives lost and won to liver cancer.
Jade Ribbon Campaign reusable bag
99 Ranch Market and the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University joined together to create the Jade Ribbon reusable shopping bag—an environmentally-friendly way to raise awareness about an urgent health concern for Asians. The eco-friendly reusable shopping bag, along with educational materials on hepatitis B, will be available with every donation of two dollars or more to the Jade Ribbon Campaign to support hepatitis B education and outreach.Team HBV collegiate chapters
Team HBV is the official chapter of the Asian Liver Center and is currently the only student-run, non-profit, collegiate organization in the United States that addresses the high incidence of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the Asian and Pacific Islander community.The mission of Team HBV is to advance the goals of the ALC at college campuses across the United States to help fight hepatitis B and liver cancer worldwide.
Adopted by the Asian Liver Center in Fall 2006, the first official Team HBV chapters were founded in Cornell, Duke, and University of California, Berkeley. There are now Team HBV Collegiate Chapters at Duke, Cornell, UC Berkeley, Stanford, Brown, UC Davis, Harvard, Wesleyan, the University of Pennsylvania, Rice, Wesleyan, and UC San Diego, and international chapters at Jiaotong University in China, Central University for Nationalities, Tsinghua University, and Minzu University of China.
The Inaugural Team HBV Collegiate Conference, organized by the Asian Liver Center, brings together individuals representing Team HBV chapters worldwide, Jade Ribbon Campaign advocates, and hepatitis B and liver cancer experts. The conference provides a professional forum for Team HBV chapters to share insights, best practices, and strategies to advance hepatitis B outreach, education, and communication. The first Team HBV Collegiate Conference took place November 2009 at Stanford University.
San Francisco Hep B Free
San Francisco Hep B FreeSan Francisco Hep B Free
San Francisco Hep B Free is a citywide campaign to turn San Francisco into the first hepatitis B free city in the nation. This unprecedented 2-year-long campaign beginning April 2007 will screen, vaccinate, and treat all San Francisco Asian and Pacific Islander residents of hepatitis B by...
is a citywide campaign to turn San Francisco into the first hepatitis B free city in the nation. This unprecedented 2-year-long campaign beginning April 2007 will screen, vaccinate and treat all San Francisco Asian and Pacific Islander (API) residents of hepatitis B (HBV) by providing convenient, free or low-cost testing opportunities at partnering health facilities and events.
The SF Hep B Free campaign puts San Francisco at the forefront of America in fighting chronic hepatitis. It will be the largest, most intensive healthcare campaign for Asian and Pacific Islanders in the US This initiative has received national attention and is being looked to as a model by the California legislature. Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and Supervisor Ed Jew are leading the effort with more than 50 healthcare and Asian Pacific Islander organizations. The SF Board of Supervisors and SF Health Commission have passed unanimous resolutions supporting SF Hep B Free.
Cal Hep B Free
Cal Hep B Free is a student-led, not-for-profit health promotion pilot program launched on September 15, 2008 at the University of California, Berkeley. Supported by numerous student organizations on campus and endorsed by Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Harry Le Grande, City of Berkeley Public Health Division, and California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, the major student-initiated campaign effort brings together university students, faculty, and administration at UC Berkeley in an effort to screen, vaccinate, and treat high-risk ethnic groups, particularly individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander (API), Middle Eastern, Eastern European, Russian, and African descent for hepatitis B (HBV). The Cal Hep B Free campaign will allow UC Berkeley to join San Francisco Hep B Free, the largest healthcare campaign in the US to target APIs in the US, at the forefront of America in fighting chronic hepatitis B.The slogan for Cal Hep B Free is: B SMART, B TESTED, B FREE! and outlines the specific objectives of the campaign:
- B SMART: Dispel misconceptions and create campus awareness about the health risks of HBV and the importance of screening for HBV.
- B TESTED: Promote routine hepatitis B screenings and assist and direct students, faculty, and staff to campus and other local sites where they may obtain free or low-cost screenings.
- B FREE: Design and implement a unique, coalition-partnership model that involves campus and local entities to maximize awareness and sustainability. Knowledge is power and can prevent what you don't know from killing you!
Prevalence and risks for Asians and Pacific Islanders
While 0.3% of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
population has chronic hepatitis B infection, APIs make up more than half of the 1.3-1.5 million known hepatitis B carriers. Depending on the country of origin, 5-15% of foreign born APIs in the US are hepatitis B carriers. In some Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim refers to places around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The term "Pacific Basin" includes the Pacific Rim and islands in the Pacific Ocean...
countries, as many as 10-20% of the population are hepatitis B carriers.
Despite the availability of the hepatitis B vaccine, vaccination rates outside the US are low and hepatitis B remains a global health problem. Therefore, many children worldwide remain unvaccinated and many adults may be chronic carriers. The World Health Organization (WHO)
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
estimates that there are 350-400 million people with chronic hepatitis B and many are not even aware of their condition. Although most hepatitis B carriers have no symptoms, they can still transmit the infection and develop liver cancer.
Reasons for lack of diagnosis
The danger of hepatitis B lies in its silent transmission and progression. Many chronic hepatitis B carriers are asymptomatic (have no symptoms) and feel perfectly healthy. Chronically infected individuals may exhibit normal blood tests for liver function and be granted a clean bill of health. The diagnosis cannot be made without a specific blood test for the presence of the hepatitis B surface antigenAntigen
An antigen is a foreign molecule that, when introduced into the body, triggers the production of an antibody by the immune system. The immune system will then kill or neutralize the antigen that is recognized as a foreign and potentially harmful invader. These invaders can be molecules such as...
(HBsAg), a marker for chronic infection. Since the detection of hepatitis B is so easily missed, even by doctors, it is also up to the patient to specifically request the HBsAg test. Early detection not only benefits the person tested, but prevents infection from being passed silently from one child to another, and from one generation to another.
In addition, misconceptions about the endemic nature of hepatitis B in the API population and the efficacy of US vaccination programs has led many individuals and health-care providers to overlook the need for testing for APIs.
Transmission
Most APIs are infected by HBV at birth by their carrier mothers (perinatal infection). Individuals who are infected at birth can develop liver cancer at age 35 or earlier. Also, individuals infected at birth will carry the virus for life, regardless of future vaccination. Transmission is also common during early childhood through direct contact with blood of infected individuals, occurring from contact between open wounds, sharing contaminated toothbrushes or razors, or through contaminated medical/dental tools. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted by blood transfusions, sharing or reusing needles for injection or tattoos, and unprotected sex.Common misconceptions
Contrary to common misconceptions- Hepatitis B is not transmitted through food/water.
- Hepatitis B is not transmitted through casual contact, such as hugging or shaking hands.
- Hepatitis B is not transmitted through kissing, sneezing, or coughing.
- Hepatitis B is not transmitted through breastfeeding.
- Vaccination does not help individuals who are already infected with hepatitis B.
Mortality risks
Without appropriate management and screening, one in four hepatitis B infected individuals (25%) will die from liver cancer or cirrhosisCirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
(liver damage leading to scarring and eventually death from liver failure
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
). Some develop cancer as early as 30 years of age. Every year, approximately one million people worldwide die from the disease because they are not diagnosed before the point where current treatment can be effective. Because so many chronically infected individuals feel perfectly healthy even with early liver cancer, the disease can progress without the carrier even knowing. When symptoms do appear, it is often only at the late stages of the disease. All people with chronic hepatitis B infection, whether they feel healthy or sick, are at risk for developing liver cancer or cirrhosis. Finding the cancer when it is small by regular screening remains the best chance of surviving liver cancer.
Hepatitis B is one of the largest health threats for Asians and Pacific Islanders. All individuals of Asian descent should request the hepatitis B surface antigen test (HBsAg) to identify infection. Also, individuals should request the hepatitis B surface antibody test (HBsAb) to identify immunity. 5%-10% of those vaccinated do not develop the antibodies and are not protected. The only way to prevent deaths from liver cancer is to identify chronic HBV individuals early enough for treatment.
Global statistics
- 350-400 million people worldwide have chronic HBV infection (compare with 40 million living with HIVHIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
) - Without appropriate treatment or monitoring, 1 in 4 people with chronic HBV will die of liver cancer, cirrhosisCirrhosisCirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
or liver failureLiver failureAcute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
. - HBV takes a million lives a year in the world.
- HBV is second only to tobacco in causing the most cancer deaths worldwide.
- 80% of primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinomaHepatocellular carcinomaHepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
) is caused by chronic HBV infection. - HBV is preventable with a vaccine available for over 25 years.
United States statistics
- HBV is the biggest health disparity between Asian AmericanAsian AmericanAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
and White AmericanWhite AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
s. - 10% of Asian Americans are chronically infected versus less than 0.3% of the general population.
- 1.4 million people are chronically infected in US and more than half are Asian.
- Liver cancer incidence is 6 - 13 times higher for Asians.
- Liver cancer mortality remains higher than other cancers despite advances in research and medical technology:
Trends in 5-Year Survival by Year of Diagnosis in the US Site 1974-76 1983-85 1992-99 Breast cancer 75% 78% 87% Colon cancer 51% 58% 62% Prostate cancer 67% 75% 98% Liver cancer 4% 6% 7% - There are more HBsAg-positive (chronically infected with HBV) API women than women of other ethnicities:
| Maternal race/ethnicity | 2002 births | Estimated maternal HBsAg prevalence | Estimated births to HBsAg(+) women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic | 2,298,156 | 0.13 | 2,988 |
| African American | 593,691 | 0.5 | 2,968 |
| Asian Pacific Islander (foreign born) | 175,264 | 8.9 | 15,598 |
| Asian Pacific Islander (US born) | 35,643 | 1.4 | 499 |
| Hispanic | 35,643 | 1.4 | 499 |
| Other | 42,330 | 0.5 | 212 |
| Total | 4,021,726 | 23,054 |
- API population has increased 4x since 1980 (14.4 million in 2002)
- Foreign born API: 2.5 million in 1980 and 8.3 million in 2002
- 75% came from countries with chronic HBV rates of 8-15%
- APIs tend to live in large households; 20% live with 5 or more people
- Many API seek medical treatments from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)Traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
practitioners.- No routine blood tests and medical check-ups.
- Under-reporting of both acute and chronic HBV infection.
- Federal ACIPAdvisory Committee on Immunization PracticesThe Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices provides advice and guidance on effective control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S. civilian population. The ACIP develops written recommendations for routine administration of vaccines to the pediatric and adult populations, along with...
guidelines recommending that universal infant vaccination against HBV at birth, regardless of the mother’s HBV status were implemented in November 1991.
China statistics
- 1/3 of the world’s chronic HBV patients live in China.
- 130 million Chinese (1 in 10) have chronic HBV.
- In one day, 3 times more people die of HBV than the entire SARS outbreak.
- In two years, fewer than 10 people have died from avian flu in China.
- HBV kills 500,000 mainland Chinese each year (50% of global deaths).
- Comparing HBV with HIV/AIDS in mainland China:
HBV HIV/AIDS 130 million with chronic HBV 650,000 with HIV 10% of population < 0.05% of population 500,000 die of liver cancer and/or liver failure each year 44,000 died of AIDS in 2003
Rates of hepatitis B infection
- Chronic HBV infection rates in US and Western Europe (lowest): 0.1-0.5%
- Chronic HBV infection rates in Asia, Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa: 10% (5-20%)
- Chronic HBV infection rates in API Americans: 7% (approximately 840,000)
- Foreign born API: 9% (range 5-15%)
- US born API: 1.4%
- Chronic HBV infection rates in Caucasian, Hispanic, or African American: 0.1%, 0.1%, 0.5%
See also
- Hepatitis B
- Liver cancerHepatocellular carcinomaHepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)Hepatocellular carcinomaHepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
- San Francisco Hep B FreeSan Francisco Hep B FreeSan Francisco Hep B Free is a citywide campaign to turn San Francisco into the first hepatitis B free city in the nation. This unprecedented 2-year-long campaign beginning April 2007 will screen, vaccinate, and treat all San Francisco Asian and Pacific Islander residents of hepatitis B by...
- Hepatitis B in ChinaHepatitis B in ChinaHepatitis B is endemic in China. Of the 350 million individuals worldwide infected with the hepatitis B virus , one-third reside in China. As of 2006 China has immunized 11.1 million children in its poorest provinces as part of several programs initiated by the Chinese government and as part of the...
External links
- Asian Liver Center at Stanford University official website
- HepBMoms
- Know HBV Brochure on Hepatitis B
- Physician's Guide to Hepatitis B
- Jade Ribbon Campaign Arizona
- Team HBV official website
- Team HBV at University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
- San Francisco Hep B Free official website
- Cal Hep B Free official website
- CDC fact sheet on Hepatitis B
- ThinkB.org
- Personal video message on the dangers of Hepatitis B to the Asian community