The San Francisco Chronicle

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco public health officials and Asian community leaders are trying to eradicate hepatitis B from the city — a tall order, considering the city has the highest concentration of hepatitis B in the country, as well as the highest rates of liver cancer, which is usually caused by the virus.

The key to wiping out hepatitis B — and protecting people from liver cancer — is to make screening a basic part of health care, especially among Asians, say doctors and Asian American health advocates who have launched a campaign to get more people tested.

"We have the potential to wipe this disease off the face of the Earth," said Ted Fang, publisher of AsianWeek, an online news service, who helped create a local campaign called San Francisco Hep B Free. "We're trying to make hepatitis B prevention and screening a standard of care for Asian Americans."

Full story: One in 10 Asian Americans infected with hepatitis B