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Transmission

Risk Groups!

Eeeny Meeny Miney Moe...: so who gets this anyway?

Injection Drug Users

Sexually Active Heterosexuals

Homosexual men

Infants/Children of Immigrants from Disease-endemic Areas

Low Socioeconomic Level

Sexual/Household Contacts of Infected Persons

Infants Born to Infected Mothers

Health Care Workers

Hemodialysis Patients


Courtesy of Hep Page
If you suspect you are at risk, see your doctor or call the AMERICAN LIVER FOUNDATION for free information.

Parenteral Transmission- One of the major modes of transmission for HBV this occurs through blood transfusions or blood products. A blood-borne virus, HBV surface antigens as well as the viral DNA can use blood as a vehicle for spread.HBV is one of the several viruses screened for in all blood donations, along with retroviruses such as HIV and HTLV.

Perinatal and Postnatal Transmisson- This type of transmission includes bodily fluids such as breast milk and maternal saliva, which alots for the high incidence rate of over 50% amongst children infected. It also includes mothers who pass the virus on to their children in or during pregnancy (perinatal transmission), resulting in a whopping 90% of HBV carriers transmitting the chronic disease to their infants.

Contact-Associated- High sexual activity, working in an environment with high levels of HBV, and sharing dirty syringes can all increase ones chances of contracting HBV. Thus sexually promiscuous people, IV drug users, and health care workers seem to be targeted populations.