Alan Wang: Openly Discussing Hepatitis B Infection in the Asian Community

Alan Wang built a career telling other people’s stories. A former television news reporter and anchor in San Francisco, he spent more than two decades reporting across the country before transitioning into a position as a public information officer for the Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Department. He and his wife, Jill, have been married for 25 years and have three children. In telling his own story, he hopes to make it easier for others to tell theirs.

While working as a young reporter in Corpus Christi, Texas, Alan developed flu‑like symptoms that grew worse over time. He lost his appetite and developed jaundice, a condition that causes yellowing of the skin and eyes when the liver is not functioning properly. When he eventually sought medical care, testing would confirm that he was hepatitis B positive.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that is carried and passed to others through blood and other body fluids. It attacks the liver and can lead to chronic disease and cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), and may lead to liver cancer if left untreated. But at the time of Alan’s diagnosis, he received little guidance about the long‑term risks associated with chronic hepatitis B infection or the potential for disease transmission.

For years, Alan experienced periodic flare‑ups but dismissed them. The disease is asymptomatic; the virus can silently damage the liver for years with no outward sign. Without guidance on transmission risks, he unknowingly passed the virus to his wife—though, fortunately, her infection did not become chronic.

Further testing revealed that he had developed cirrhosis and carried over 300 million copies of the virus, which is considered an extremely high viral load. Only then did he seek out a hepatologist on his own and start on antiviral treatment, a treatment he has continued for more than 20 years.

With consistent care and monitoring, his condition stabilized, and his liver began to heal. Today, his viral levels are undetectable, and his liver has regenerated to a healthy state. “I had no idea there was treatment for it,” Alan said. “I was a little upset that the doctors just didn’t have the knowledge to recognize that I was chronically infected and to tell me that I needed to do more.”

When Alan discussed his diagnosis with his siblings, they uncovered a larger family history that had gone largely unspoken for generations. His mother and all four siblings tested positive for hepatitis B, likely transmitted at birth. “What we didn’t realize is that we were all infected,” Alan said. “None of us told each other, and we didn’t think we needed to.” They would later come to realize that three of their uncles who had died from liver cancer—jaundiced for much of their lives—had also been living with hepatitis B.

Alan said the stigma surrounding hepatitis B, often linked to false assumptions about behavior such as drug use and sexual promiscuity, can discourage open discussion. Looking back, he sees his experience as a reflection of broader systemic and cultural gaps. “In the Asian community, it’s not something you want to talk about,” Alan said. “We don’t like to talk about our health deficiencies.” Parents routinely warned children not to disclose, fearing it would affect their prospects for marriage or employment.

Over time, that silence became a turning point. As his family began discussing their shared experience, the stigma lessened and Alan decided to use his professional platform to raise awareness. “I realized, I have a platform, I should use it,” he said.

Alan became an outspoken advocate for greater awareness, screening, and public health education surrounding hepatitis B and liver cancer prevention. As a former board member for the San Francisco Hep B Free campaign, he continues openly encouraging Asian communities to learn about the disease and seek testing. “Awareness is our biggest weapon against hepatitis B,” he said.

Alan believes that improving public health messaging, expanding culturally informed outreach, and encouraging open conversations within families can help close critical gaps in prevention and care. He also underscores the need for health systems to proactively screen at‑risk populations and provide clear, accessible information. “I am living proof that just being aware, getting screened, and being a good advocate for your health can save your life,” he said.