Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a disease which affects the liver. It is associated with chronic liver problems leading to increased risk of liver cancer or cirrhosis. Approximately 350 million people are carriers worldwide, and the general infection rate is far higher in Asia, Africa and China than elsewhere where it can exceed 8% of the population. Many Hepatitis B infections cause mild symptoms and may not be recognised, however, infected individuals may develop into being life long carriers. Hepatitis B is generally spread through unprotected sex and blood (via blood transfusion, dirty needles, piercing and tattoos etc) but may also be transmitted through body fluids. It is 100 times more infective than HIV.