Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a significant cause of global morbidity and mortality, primarily owing to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There are an estimated 240 million persons worldwide with chronic HBV.1 Universal hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all newborns and infants; and already the incidence of HCC in children has significantly decreased in Taiwan and dropped to zero in Alaska where universal infant and catchup vaccination was begun in the 1980s.