Bradford could be sitting on a timebomb of a killer disease which could spread if left unchecked, a senior doctor has warned.

Nearly 2,000 people could already be infected with hepatitis B and unaware they are carrying the virus, he believes.

The virus is 100 times more infectious than HIV, with no known cure, and can ultimately lead to death.

Dr Sulleman Moreea, a consultant gastroenterologist at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said more needed to be done to improve its diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

The victims, mainly from ethnic minority groups, could become seriously ill in the next ten to 15 years, by which time it will be too late to help them.

Now he is backing a national campaign, B Aware, calling for action to address the public health problem of hepatitis B (HBV).

He said: "The large majority of hepatitis B patients may not know they have the disease. The morbidity and mortality due to hepatitis B could be a problem in the future."

Left untreated it can cause cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer, which can lead to death. There is no cure but it can be controlled by drugs. Anyone can contract hepatitis B but it is more common in people who were born in areas of the world which have high rates of hepatitis B, such as Asia, Africa and some Southern and Eastern regions in Europe.

Dr Moreea said he was particularly keen to raise awareness of the disease among these communities.

This week he was a key speaker at a public meeting called Controlling the Spread of Hepatitis B among Leeds and Bradford's Ethnic Communities.

Penny Wilson-Webb, of the Hepatitis B Foundation UK, was also a speaker at the event, which was part of the B Aware campaign.

Similar events have already taken place in other areas of the UK such as Birmingham, which also have large ethnic minority communities.

Dr Moreea said: "From the 2001 census we can see 18 per cent of the Bradford population is classed as an ethnic minority.

"These people come from areas of high prevalence of hepatitis B. We expect about three to six per cent of this population to be infected with hepatitis B, about 1,000 to 2,000 people.

"But in Bradford I have only about 300 patients with hepatitis B in treatment, so there are at least 700 to 1,700 people in our district who have hepatitis B but are not known to me.

"These people are well at the moment but in ten to 15 years' time they will become unwell. As time goes on they can get liver damage and when the liver does not work they become really unwell.

"They can also develop liver cancer and then it is usually too late. A liver transplant is a big operation and there are not enough organs available.

"If we get these people early we can treat them and prevent them from becoming unwell.

"By 2011 one in four people will be from an ethnic minority and so hepatitis B is going to be a big problem.

"If we were to immunise people the disease is preventable but the UK does not have an immunisation programme for hepatitis B.

"It is only offered to babies born to mothers who have hepatitis B."

More female patients are being picked up because screening for hepatitis B is routine during pregnancy.

Between June 2005 and September 2006 of the 4,817 pregnancies in the district, 42 women were found to have hepatitis B.

Of these women 29 (69 per cent) were of an Asian origin of whom 23 who were of Pakistani origin. Eleven of these Asian women were born in Pakistan. Eight women (19 per cent) were white Caucasians and five women (12 per cent) were of African origin.

All were referred to the hepatology clinic at Bradford Royal Infirmary for treatment but only 29 women of the 42 women attended.

If a women is found to have hepatitis B during pregnancy her entire household is required by law to be screened, said Dr Moreea, but not enough men were coming forward for this screening.

"Up to two-and-a-half years ago we had a nurse dedicated to that screening from the Health Protection Agency and she did a great job in Bradford," he said. "But she retired and the post has not been replaced. It is now the responsibility of GPs."

Dr Moreea said there should also be more responsibility among patients.

"If there are people around you with hepatitis B you should be tested," he added.

"We can counteract this through better education and by reducing the stigma attached to it."