Hepatitis B is a disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. The virus, which is called hepatitis B virus (HBV), can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death. Hepatitis B vaccine is available for all age groups to prevent HBV infection.

Surveillance data rates are only descriptive and causality cannot be inferred. Rates may be decreasing due to the implementation of immunization strategies to eliminate transmission of HBV in the U.S. These strategies include universal vaccination of infants at birth; immunoprophylaxis of infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen-positive women, or to women of unknown hepatitis B surface antigen status; routine vaccination of previously unvaccinated children and adolescents; and vaccination of previously unvaccinated adults at risk for HBV infection (e.g. heterosexuals with multiple sex partners, injection drug users, men who have sex with men, household contacts and sex partners of persons with chronic HBV infection). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), national rates of acute hepatitis B have decreased since 1990, but national estimates of chronic HBV infections range from 700,000 to 1.4 million, making it a public health concern.