Five Hep B Myths
July 15, 2008
The best way to stop spreading inaccurate information about hepatitis B is to learn the facts, according to Dr. Robert Gish, Chief of the Division of Hepatology at California Pacific Medical Center
For Gish, it is important to educate the public about the disease because he has witnessed first-hand the effects of the disease in Asia and lost many patients to cirrhosis and liver cancer from hepatitis B.
Here are Gish’s five most common misconceptions as compiled by the medical protocol group of the SF Hep B Free Campaign:
Myth 1: Hepatitis B can be transmitted through casual contact such as kissing, handshakes or sharing food or water.
Truth: The disease can only be contracted on an intimate basis, such as sharing bodily fluids through unprotected sex or contact with blood. HBV can also be transmitted from an infected mother to her child at birth.
Myth 2: There is no treatment available for chronic hepatitis B.
Truth: The disease is not curable, but it is manageable. Chronic HBV can be treated with a number of effective medications that can suppress, slow or reverse the liver disease. All chronically infected patients need life-long monitoring.
Myth 3: Healthy patients with chronic HBV (often called “carriers”) do not need regular medical follow up.
Truth: Inactive carriers can progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer at any time. Continued screening should take place at regular intervals throughout the patient’s lifetime.
Myth 4: Patients from countries with high HBV prevalence can wait until age 40 before getting screened.
Truth: Any patient from a high-risk region of world, including the Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, India and Africa, should be screened immediately. They most likely have had the virus active in their liver since birth or early childhood, which could convert to active liver disease at any age.
Myth 5: Hepatitis B vaccine prevents liver cancer and enhances healing in infected patients.
Truth: The vaccine prevents infection and thereby cancer. There is no reason to vaccinate a patient who is already infected.
“Many people think that once you have the disease there’s nothing you can do about it, but that is wrong. You need to go see a specialist and be treated,” said Gish. “Also patients with hepatitis B should not be discriminated against socially by loved ones or at work.”
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For more about the S.F. Hep B Free campaign: sfhepbfree.org.
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