Hepatitis B

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B (or called Hep B) is an infection of the liver caused by a virus.

How do you get it?

Hep B is spread through contact with the blood and body fluids of a person who already has Hep B. It can be caught by:

• Having unprotected sex (not using a condom)
• Sharing toothbrushes, razors, nail files, or other items that have blood on them
• Sharing needles or syringes
• Getting tattoos, body-piercings, acupuncture or electrolysis with equipment that is not properly cleaned and sterilised
• Hep B can be passed from mother to baby during childbirth

You cannot get hepatitis B from casual contact like hugging, kissing, sneezing, coughing, or sharing food or drinks.

What are the symptoms?

There are often no symptoms with Hep B, however you can still pass the virus onto others.

If you do have symptoms, they could be:

• Flu-like symptoms such as tiredness, fever, headache or muscle aches
• Stomach pain
• Loss of appetite, nausea and sometimes vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Skin rash
• Yellowish eyes and skin
• Darker wees

Over time, Hep B can cause liver damage or increase the risk of liver cancer.

How do you treat it?

In most cases, Hep B goes away on its own. There is no specific treatment for Hep B, but there are some things you can do that may help you feel better:

• Get plenty of rest
• Drink plenty of water to avoid getting dehydrated
• Avoid alcohol and drugs
• Eat healthy foods

Check with your doctor or nurse which medicines and herbal remedies are safe to take in order to prevent further damage to your liver.