Who is at risk for hepatitis B

Hepatitis B can affect anyone. One out of 20 people in the United States will get hepatitis B at some time during their lives.

Each year, an estimated 300,000 persons, primarily young adults, are infected with hepatitis B virus. One-quarter become ill with jaundice (yellow color skin), more than 10,000 patients require hospitalization, and an average of 250 die of the disease. Each year an estimated 4,000 persons die of hepatitis B-related cirrhosis of the liver, and more than 800 die of hepatitis B-related liver cancer. In the United States approximately 750,000-1,000,000 persons carry the disease.