At UC San Diego Health, our specialists provide the most comprehensive care for hepatitis. Learn more about how we diagnose and treat acute and chronic hepatitis B.
Facts About Hepatitis B
People of Asian Descent: Get Tested
Two-thirds of the 240 million people in the world who have a chronic hepatitis B are from Asia. If you or your parents emigrated to the U.S. from Asia, get tested! Other high-risk groups include immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
- A "silent disease." It can live in your body for 50+ years before you have symptoms.
- Responsible for 80 percent of all liver cancer in the world.
- Harder to fight off the younger you are; 90 percent of babies will go on to develop a chronic infection compared to 5 to 10 percent of adults.
- 100 times more contagious than AIDS.
- Responsible for approximately 600,000 deaths worldwide each year.
- The tenth leading cause of death worldwide.
Who is at Risk for Hepatitis B?
People who are at a higher risk for hepatitis B include those who:
- Were born in or have a parent who was born in Asia or other high-risk areas such as sub-Saharan Africa
- Share IV drug needles
- Have sex with a person who is infected
- Have received a blood transfusion before implementation of universal screening in the late 1970s and '80s
- Have never been screened or vaccinated for hepatitis B
If you have an increased risk of hepatitis B due to job, lifestyle choices, or contact with an infected family member at home, you should get the hepatitis B vaccine. If you think you may already be infected, schedule a screening as soon as possible by calling 619-543-5415.
A Dangerous Disease
A chronic hepatitis B infection can go undetected for years – even decades in many cases. The longer a hepatitis B infection is left untreated, the more susceptible you are to developing severe scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and liver cancer.
How Do You Get Hepatitis B?
The hepatitis B virus is transmitted when an infected person’s blood or body fluids (such as saliva or semen) enter your bloodstream.
Ways hepatitis B is spread:
- Sharing IV needles
- Unprotected sex
- Sharing razors or toothbrushes
- From mother to newborn during the delivery process
In the U.S., hepatitis B is spread primarily through sexual transmission and contaminated needles. In other areas of the world, such as Asia or sub-Saharan Africa, hepatitis B is spread through birth.
Hepatitis B is not a genetic disease, although a majority of chronic infections occur by transmission from mother to baby at the time of birth. Also, it cannot be transmitted:
- Through food or water
- By hugging
- Through sneezing or coughing
Frequently Asked Questions About Hepatitis B
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Treatments commonly used for cancer (e.g.,
chemotherapy, high-dose steroids) can activate hepatitis B in people who carry the virus. There have been many cases of people who were cured of their cancer who ended up with fatal liver damage as a result of an undiagnosed and untreated hepatitis B infection.
If you have cancer and are about to begin treatment, make sure that you have been vaccinated for hepatitis B and/or have been properly screened by your doctor.
All expectant mothers should be screened for hepatitis B since it can be passed to your baby during delivery. If exposed to the virus, your baby's chance of developing a chronic infection is 90 percent.
If you are diagnosed with hepatitis B early in your pregnancy, you may be able to undergo hepatitis B treatment prior to birth. This can drastically reduce your baby's chance of getting the virus (in many cases to zero percent).
Yes – in the U.S., sexual contact with a person who carries the hepatitis B virus accounts for nearly two thirds of hepatitis B cases.
If you successfully cleared a hepatitis B infection in the past, you will never get it again. Your body creates lifelong antibodies that protects you from the virus.
The hepatitis B vaccine is a series of shots given over six months. The vaccine contains small pieces of the virus, that when introduced slowly to the body, teaches the body to attack and destroy the virus. Unfortunately, the hepatitis B vaccine does not defend against other types of hepatitis (e.g.,
hepatitis C).
No, you cannot. The vaccine is a copy of a very small part of the hepatitis B virus.
The hepatitis B vaccine is considered safe; serious side effects are rare. Mild risks include a slight fever and soreness where the vaccine is given.
NOTE: The vaccine contains yeast and should not be given to people with severe yeast allergies. Speak with your doctor before getting vaccinated.
If you ever tested positive for the hepatitis B virus, it's recommended that you do not donate any organs or bodily fluids, including semen.
Not necessarily. About 30 percent of adults who have an acute hepatitis B infection have symptoms.
Symptoms generally appear three months after exposure to the virus.