Questions and Answers About Hepatitis B

• Hepatitis B Can Be Silent and Serious

• You Need Your Liver to Live

• What Are the Risk Factors for Hepatitis B?

• What Should I Do?

• Symptoms May Vary, Protect Yourself

• Untreated Chronic Hepatitis B Can Be Serious

• Learn More in Your Fight Against Chronic Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B Can Be Silent and Serious

A: Hepatitis is a disease of the liver which is often caused by a virus or chronic alcohol abuse. The three most common viruses that cause hepatitis are hepatitis A, B, and C.1

A person who has chronic hepatitis B has had the virus for longer than 6 months.

Q: How can hepatitis B (HBV) be silent?

A: One out of three people who have hepatitis B don't feel sick. You can pass hepatitis B to someone else without knowing it.

Q: Why is hepatitis B serious?

A: Some people who are chronically infected will develop liver damage. Eventually the liver can stop working.

You Need Your Liver to Live

A: The liver is located behind the lower ribs on the right side of the body.

Q: What does the liver do?

A: You cannot live without a liver. The liver keeps you healthy by:

• Getting rid of wastes from the body
• Helping your blood to clot
• Storing vitamins, sugars, and other nutrients
• Fighting infections
• Helping to digest food

What are the Risk Factors for Hepatitis B?

A: People of Asian or Pacific Island descent are among the greatest at risk for hepatitis B.7,8

• Over 1 million Americans are chronically infected with hepatitis B
• About half of those infected with hepatitis B are of Asian descent

• Infants born to infected mothers
• Those who have sex with infected people
• People with multiple sex partners
• Those who have contact with chronically infected household members
• Healthcare and public safety workers
• Men who have sex with men
• People who inject drugs with unclean needles

Q: How do you get infected with hepatitis B?

A: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is passed from one person to another through body fluids (for example, blood, saliva, semen, breast milk).

If a household member is infected with hepatitis B, it is important not to share such things as razor blades, toothbrushes, or nail clippers.

Note that you do not get HBV from sneezing, coughing, or holding hands.

What should I do?

Q: Do you have any risk factors for hepatitis B?

A: If yes, see your doctor now. Your doctor will test you for hepatitis B. If you don't have hepatitis B, you can get vaccinated so that you wont get HBV.

Q: What does it mean if the doctor tells me I have chronic hepatitis B?

A: A person who has chronic hepatitis B has had the HBV virus in his or her blood for longer than 6 months, but often without symptoms. Some people who are chronically infected will develop signs of liver damage sooner than others.

Ask your doctor how you can try to stay healthy

Symptoms May Vary, Protect Yourself

A: About one third of those infected with hepatitis B do not have symptoms.

The symptoms of hepatitis B can include:

• being very tired
• joint pain
• loss of appetite
• nausea
• vomiting
• fever
• dark-colored urine
• bloated and tender belly
• yellowish tinged skin and eyes

Q: Can you keep from getting hepatitis B?

A: Yes. There is a vaccine for hepatitis B. All newborns should receive the first dose of this vaccine before leaving the hospital. All children up to the age of 18 should be given the HBV vaccine.

Q: What if you are pregnant and have hepatitis B?

A: Talk to your doctor right away if you are pregnant and think you may have hepatitis B.

If you are pregnant and you have hepatitis B, it is possible that your baby will be infected.

It is important that your newborn gets the right medical care at birth.

Untreated Chronic Hepatitis B Can Be Serious

A: If chronic hepatitis B is not treated, the liver could be damaged.

Also, as the disease gets worse, it can result in cancer of the liver, liver failure, and eventually death. If you think you have hepatitis B, it is very important that you see your doctor and ask to be tested.

A: No, there isn't a cure for chronic hepatitis B. Although there isn't a cure, talk to your doctor about what you can do to treat the virus.

Learn More in Your Fight Against Chronic Hepatitis B

A: There are many online resources offering information about
hepatitis B. Here is a list of selected resources for your convenience.

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