Hepatitis B
The infection: Hepatitis B, caused by the hepatitis B virus. An estimated 862,000 Americans have a chronic infection, while around 26,000 new cases occur annually.
Symptoms and long-term effects: Common acute symptoms include fatigue, poor appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice, though many may not feel sick at all. In some people, especially children, the infection can then become chronic, and if left untreated, it can raise the risk of severe liver damage and liver cancer.
How to treat it: It can be prevented through a highly effective vaccine that’s now routinely given to children; the vaccine can also prevent infection in people who have been exposed to the virus. Chronic hepatitis B can be kept in check with antivirals.
