Hepatitis B (Chronic)

9,757 cases in 2024 — near the 5-year baseline of ~28,567.

What is it?

Chronic hepatitis B develops when the hepatitis B virus persists in the body for more than 6 months. NYS had 9,757 chronic cases in 2024. Worldwide, chronic hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer and a major cause of cirrhosis. Many people with chronic hepatitis B are unaware of their infection and can transmit it to others.

How it spreads

Same routes as acute hepatitis B: blood, sexual contact, and mother-to-child transmission. People with chronic hepatitis B can transmit the virus for years even with no symptoms.

Symptoms

Many people with chronic hepatitis B have no symptoms for years or decades. Over time, liver damage can accumulate, eventually causing fatigue, jaundice, abdominal swelling, and complications of cirrhosis. Some develop liver cancer without preceding cirrhosis.

Who is at risk?

People born in regions with high HBV prevalence (especially sub-Saharan Africa and East/Southeast Asia), people who inject drugs, individuals who were not vaccinated at birth, and household contacts of people with chronic hepatitis B.

What you can do

Vaccine information

Hepatitis B vaccine prevents new infections. People with chronic hepatitis B cannot be cured by the vaccine, but their household contacts and sexual partners should be vaccinated.

Based on NYSDOH annual communicable disease report. Threat level reflects 2024 case counts compared to the 5-year baseline.