title: Prevention of hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus infection is the most important cause of acute and chronic liver disease worldwide. The Immunization Practices Advisory Committee has proposed a comprehensive strategy to eliminate the transmission of hepatitis B virus in the United States. The three phases of this strategy are prevention of perinatal transmission of the hepatitis B virus, universal vaccination of all infants against hepatitis B virus infection and selected vaccination of high-risk adolescents and adults. Because family physicians provide obstetric, perinatal, adolescent and adult care, they can have a major influence on the success of this strategy.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Mahoney
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Burkholder
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Matson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines