About Hepatitis
Determine HBsAg
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and is caused by one
of five viruses – A, B, C, D and E. Hepatitis B is the most
common serious liver infection and remains endemic in large
portions of the world.
HBV is easily transmitted and can occur through direct
blood-to-blood contact, sexual contact, use of un-sterile needles,
child to child in endemic areas and from a mother to her baby
during the delivery process.
In many developing countries almost all children become infected
with the virus and can carry and transmit HBV for many years beyond
childhood. Left untreated in the body, the virus can develop
into chronic hepatitis B, which can lead to cirrhosis or liver
cancer. Liver failure is almost always fatal.
“Hepatitis B is one of the major diseases of mankind and
is a serious global public health problem” World Health
Organization (WHO)
Hepatitis B remains endemic in large portions of the world with
an estimated 2 billion people currently infected, of which 350
million have chronic (lifelong) hepatitis B (HBV) infection.
According to WHO, 4 million people each year become newly
infected, with 1 million people dying annually from hepatitis B or
associated liver diseases. HBV is the 10th leading cause of death
worldwide.
In much of sub-Saharan Africa, most of Asia and the Pacific, the
majority of people become infected with HBV during childhood and
8%-10% of the general population become chronically infected. High
rates of chronic HBV infection are also found in the Amazon and
southern parts of Eastern and Central Europe. Young children who
become infected with HBV are most likely to develop chronic
infection.
Hepatitis B is preventable with safe and effective vaccines but
many children in the poorest countries do not have access to them.
Current vaccines cannot cure chronic hepatitis B, but are 95%
effective in preventing chronic infections from developing.
More rapid testing and diagnosis of hepatitis B can detect
active infection, both acute and chronic, as well as help reduce
the spread of the disease by identifying chronic carriers who might
otherwise look and feel healthy, but are highly infectious.
Determine® HBsAg
provides easy, fast and accurate diagnosis and can be relied upon
almost anywhere in the world.