Which one of the following statements regarding the infectious disease hepatitis B is false?

The statement that hepatitis B is less infective than human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is incorrect because hepatitis B is, in fact, more infectious than HIV. Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids, and it can be spread through activities such as sharing needles, sexual contact, and from mother to child at birth. Its ability to survive outside the body, as well as the amount of virus present in blood and body fluids, contributes to its high infectivity.

In contrast, while HIV is serious and can lead to AIDS, it is less stable outside the human body and is less easily transmitted when compared to hepatitis B. The other choices detail facts surrounding the survival and deactivation of hepatitis B, confirming its resilience and the need for proper infection control practices in healthcare settings.