Digestive health centre

Introduction

Hepatitis B is a liver infection. It can be so mild that you don't notice you have it. Or it can lead to serious illness. There is a vaccine that can protect you against hepatitis B.

We've brought together the best research about hepatitis B and weighed up the evidence about how to prevent it. You can use our information to talk to your doctor about whether you should be vaccinated against hepatitis B.

This information is about hepatitis B. We have a separate section that looks at hepatitis C.

Hepatitis B is a liver infection. You catch it from a virus that is carried in blood and other body fluids.

Some people who have hepatitis B don't even know they have it. They don't get any symptoms, and the infection eventually goes away. But a few people get a serious infection that can last their whole lifetime.

Even if you don't feel ill you can pass the virus on to other people.

Hepatitis can stop your liver working properly.^[1] There are several viruses that can cause different types of hepatitis. Each type of hepatitis is named after the virus that causes it. The most common types are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. In this section we are just looking at hepatitis B. We have another section about hepatitis C.

The hepatitis B virus is carried in the blood and other body fluids (such as saliva, semen, and urine) of people who are infected. You can get infected with hepatitis B when body fluids from a person who is infected get into your body.^[2]

You are most likely to catch hepatitis B if you come into contact with blood from someone who is infected. You can get hepatitis B if you:^[3]

• Accidentally prick yourself with an infected needle. Doctors call this a needlestick injury

• Use infected needles (and other equipment) for taking illegal drugs

• Share sharp objects such as razors, toothbrushes, or earrings with someone who is infected

• Have acupuncture, body piercing, or tattooing with needles that have been used on someone who is infected

• Have sex with an infected person without using a condom.

A pregnant woman with hepatitis B can also pass it to her baby.

You do not get hepatitis B through things like hugging or shaking hands with someone who has hepatitis B or by eating food that has been made by someone with hepatitis B.^[2]

In the UK it is very rare to get infected from a blood transfusion.^[3] This is because blood from donors is checked for the hepatitis B virus.

If you have hepatitis B, you can pass the virus on to other people, even if you feel well. There are things you should do to reduce the chances of this happening. For more information, see What should I do if I have hepatitis B?

Some people are more likely to get hepatitis B than others. For example, you are at a higher risk of getting hepatitis B if you inject illegal drugs or if you are a health care worker. For more information, see Reducing your risk of catching hepatitis B.

There is a vaccine that can protect you against hepatitis B. For information about whether you should get the vaccine, see Am I at risk of getting hepatitis B?

Citations