Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
Disease Information
Overview
Hepatitis B is a disease of the liver that is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The disease can be very mild, without symptoms, or it may cause chronic hepatitis, which is some cases can lead to full-blown liver failure and death.
- Can be transmitted through blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or saliva
- Infants may develop the disease if they are born to a mother who has the virus.
- Infected children can spread the virus to other children.
- People can contract HBV without knowing how they got it; about 1/3rd of HBV cases in the U.S. have an unknown source.
How Children’s Hospital Boston approaches hepatitis B:
Children’s Center for Childhood Liver Disease has a multidisciplinary program that includes hepatology, surgery, interventional radiology, interventional GI endoscopy, and pathology.
Related conditions and treatments:
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