Why should Vietnamese-Americans be concerned about hepatitis B?
Although hepatitis B is very common in Vietnam, it is also a problem among Vietnamese-Americans living in the United States. The virus is spread most commonly among Asians from an infected mother who unknowingly passes it to her newborn baby during delivery. It can also be passed in early childhood through blood contact with another child or adult who has a chronic infection. Most Asians who have chronic hepatitis B do not know they are infected and can unknowingly pass the virus on to the others. As a result, hepatitis B can affect an entire family for many generations. It is very important for Asians to know that hepatitis B is not an “inherited” disease – it is an infectious disease that is caused by a virus. Vietnamese families can break the cycle of infection by getting tested, vaccinated, and treated for chronic hepatitis B. Why is hepatitis B so dangerous? Hepatitis B is dangerous because it is a “silent disease” that can infect people without them knowing it. Most people who ar
