Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a virus that lives in your blood and body fluids. The virus can hurt your liver.
There are two types:
- Acute hepatitis B is when you first get the virus. Sometimes your body can fight off the virus. This means you will no longer have it.
- Chronic hepatitis B is when your body cannot fight off the virus. The virus stays in your body.
- About 20 out of 100 people with this will develop liver problems.
- Hepatitis B is common. About 1.2 million people in the United States have it.
- Many people do not know they have it because they do not feel sick.
- About 40,000 people in the United States get hepatitis B each year.
- Every year about 3,000 people die because the virus hurts their liver.
People may have or feel:
- Fever
- Tired
- Muscle or joint pain
- Upset stomach/throwing up
- No appetite
It is spead by:
- Sharing used needles or other drug injection supplies
- This includes tattoo and body-piercing needles.
- Having sex without a condom
- Touching infected blood (even in amounts too small to see)
- Touching open sores of someone who has the virus
- From a mother to her baby during pregnancy
People at risk are:
- People who have sex with someone who has the virus
- People who have many sex partners
- Drug users who share needles and syringes to inject drugs into their bodies
- Paramedics, emergency responders, and health care workers
- People who are on dialysis for their kidneys
You cannot get hepatitis B by:
- Hugging, kissing, or shaking hands
- Coughing or sneezing
- Sharing forks, spoons, or glasses
Acute hepatitis B is treated by:
- Rest
- Eating a healthy diet
- Drinking plenty of fluids
- Medicine, if needed
Chronic hepatitis B is treated by:
- Routine check-ups to make sure your liver function is not getting worse
- Medicine, if needed
You can prevent it by:
- Getting vaccinated
- Babies should get vaccinated when they are born
- For adults, the vaccination is a series of three shots in your arm over six months
- Having safe sex by using condoms
- Wearing gloves, gown, and/or mask if you might touch blood or body fluids