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1947 - F. O. MacCallum, using human volunteers, differentiates hepatitis A, which is spread by contaminated food and water, from hepatitis B, which is spread by blood.
1963 - Baruch Blumberg and Harvey Alter discover Aa, the Australian antigen (later called HBsAg).
1967 - Between 1967-1968, Blumberg, Kazuo Okochi, Alfred Prince, Alberto Vierrucci, and colleagues report that Aa is involved in the development of hepatitis B.
1969 - Irving Millman and Blumberg devise a concept and through the Fox Chase Cancer Center receive a patent for using Aa to prepare a hepatitis B vaccine.
1970 - D. S. Dane discovers whole hepatitis B virus particles in blood samples examined with the electron microscope.
1972 - Laws are passed in the United States requiring testing of donor blood for HBsAg antigen.
1973 - Between 1973-1974, Stephen Feinstone and colleagues and Maurice Hilleman and colleagues discover and describe hepatitis A virus.
1975 - Wolf Szmuness and Hilleman and colleagues begin tests of the hepatitis B vaccine.
1977 - Mario Rizzetto and John Gerin discover hepatitis D.
1980 - Between 1980-1981, subunit hepatitis B virus vaccine derived from blood serum is developed by Hilleman and colleagues, proved effective, and licensed for general use.
1983 - Mikhail Balayan describes the hepatitis E virus.
1983 - Between 1983-1986, subunit hepatitis B virus vaccine derived from yeast is developed by William Rutter and colleagues and approved for use.
1989 - Daniel Bradley provides Chiron with non A-non B hepatitis serum from chimpanzees; Michael Houghton and colleagues discover a single virus, publish the genetic sequence of the viral agent, and change the name to hepatitis C.
1990 - Blood screening for hepatitis C begins.
1996 - The first hepatitis A vaccine, made by Merck, is licensed for general use; another hepatitis A vaccine, developed by SmithKline Beecham, is proved to be effective.
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