The CDC recently tweeted (@cdchep) 24 facts about Hepatitis. Wednesday May 20 was World Hepatitis Day. Worldwide one in twelve people are living with hepatitis. EMS providers are at high risk for exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials.

Therefore it is important to know these facts about hepatitis.

WHD Fact #1: May 20 is World Hepatitis Day. Show your support – follow @worldhepday & @cdchep.

WHD Fact #2: 15,000 persons die of chronic viral hepatitis each year in US – a number similar equal to HIV.

WHD Fact #3: Viral hepatitis is leading cause of of liver transplants in US.

WHD Fact #4: Hepatitis A, B, and C – same symptoms; different infections. Which are preventable with a vaccine? Find out: http://ow.ly/7FPK

WHD Fact #5: Once infected, infants are more likely to develop chronic hepatitis B than adults. Vaccine at birth is best way to prevent it.

WHD Fact #6: African Americans develop liver cancer from hepatitis C at 2 times the rates of Caucasians. Follow @cdchep for more facts.

WHD Fact #7: 10% of hepatitis A and 20% of hepatitis B infections occur in gay men. Vaccine is available for both. http://ow.ly/7FSm

WHD Fact #8: CDC Hepatitis Division Head joins partners to brief Congress about health disparities and hepatitis. http://ow.ly/7FSV

WHD Fact #9: Sharing needles – even once – can lead to hepatitis. Get Tested.

WHD Fact #10: 1.4 million people in US have chronic hepatitis B and many don’t know. See new CDC testing guidelines: http://ow.ly/7FUS

WHD Fact #11: True or False? Most people with chronic hepatitis C have no symptoms. TRUE. The only way to know is to get tested.

WHD Fact #12: Hepatitis B is vaccine-preventable, yet it is a leading cause of liver cancer.

WHD Fact #13: New treatments can delay or stop the effects of liver disease from hepatitis B. Early detection and treatment are key.

WHD Fact #14: For activities happening around the country today for World Hepatitis Day, see the NVHR calendar – http://ow.ly/79ii

WHD Fact #15: Blood tests are the only way to detect hepatitis. Learn more at http://ow.ly/7QR3

WHD Fact #16: Traveling to a foreign country? Learn if you need the hepatitis A or B vaccine: http://ow.ly/7QTE

WHD Fact #17: 85% of people who get hepatitis C will develop chronic infection.

WHD Fact #18: Pregnant women with hepatitis B can pass the virus to their babies at birth. A vaccine can prevent the transmission.

WHD Fact #19: About 15% of people who get hepatitis C are able to clear the virus on their own. Scientists don’t yet know how.

WHD Fact #20: BAD NEWS: Hepatitis B virus is 50–100 times more infectious than HIV. GOOD NEWS: There is a vaccine for hepatitis B.

WHD Fact #21: About 25% of HIV+ persons in US are infected with hepatitis C. Hepatitis is a leading cause of death for HIV+ persons.

WHD Fact #22: For many persons, hepatitis C can be successfully treated. Learn more: http://ow.ly/7Rb9 Follow @cdchep for more facts.

WHD Fact #23: Which STD can be prevented with a vaccine? Hepatitis B. http://ow.ly/7RcM Support World Hepatitis Day.

WHD Fact #24: Asian Americans develop liver cancer from hepatitis B at 3 times the rate of other groups. Learn more: http://ow.ly/77xK

Learn more about hepatitis at the CDC Hepatitis website.

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