Hepatitis B

What Is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver that can be diagnosed by a simple blood test.

  • Hepatitis B is caused by a virus (a kind of germ).
  • You could get Hepatitis B if you:
    • Have sex with someone who has the virus.
    • Share needles or drugs.
    • Share earrings, razors, nail clippers, or toothbrushes.
    • Pierce your body or get a tattoo when infected tools are used.
    • Touch infected blood or bodily fluids.

Symptoms

People can have hepatitis B without knowing it. They may feel fine or they may just feel like they have the flu. Even if you have no signs, hepatitis B can be spread to others.

Some people get these signs:

  • Yellow skin or eyes
  • No appetite (they don't want to eat)
  • Feeling tired
  • Brown or dark urine (pee)
  • Light or gray stools

Some people have pain in their:

  • Stomach or abdomen
  • Muscles
  • Joints

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Long-Term Effects

There is no cure for hepatitis B, but in some people, it goes away on its own. There is medicine that can help the liver of people who have chronic hepatitis.

Hepatitis B can cause these problems:

  • You can give it to others.
  • You have a higher chance of getting HIV (the virus that causes AIDS).
  • Chronic hepatitis can badly damage your liver. It can lead to cancer and even death.

If a woman has hepatitis B while she is pregnant, she should tell her doctor right away. Her baby could be born with it. The baby will need special shots right after birth.

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Treatment

Your doctor will make a treatment plan just for you. Tell your partner(s) and anyone you live with that you have hepatitis B. They will need to get the vaccine.

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