More than 2 million Americans are infected with Hepatitis B virus. Nearly 50,000 new infections occur each year. Americans born in Asia or the Pacific Islands are at particular risk because the virus is so common in those regions. Hepatitis B leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer in 20 to 30 percent of those infected.
If you have symptoms such as jaundice, fatigue or fever or have been exposed to hepatitis B, it is very important that you see a liver specialist who is experienced in diagnosing and treating the virus.
Across the Sutter Health network, liver specialists offer comprehensive care for patients with chronic hepatitis B, as well as vaccinations to protect family members and loved ones.
We provide expert treatment and surveillance of early-stage chronic hepatitis B with periodic liver function blood tests and drug therapy, including:
- Entecavir, Tenofovir — Oral medications that can be prescribed to suppress HBV infection
- Lamivudine, Telbivudine — Second-line therapies
- PEG Interferon — Administered through an injection under the skin for one year, it can slow liver disease by reducing the amount of virus in the body and occasionally converts the virus to an inactive phase
Our Liver Immunology Research Center serves as a hub for hepatitis research in Northern California. Additionally, the California Pacific Medical Center Liver Disease Management and Transplant Program is one of 15 sites in the U.S. selected to participate in the National Institutes of Health’s Hepatitis B Research Network, seeking better understanding of the disease and new, more effective treatments.
