The hepatitis B virus can be found in the blood, semen, and other body fluids of an infected person. A person who has sex with an infected partner can become infected with the virus.
If you are concerned that you might have been exposed to the hepatitis B virus, call your health-care provider or your local health department immediately.
Hepatitis B immune globulin is a substance made from human blood samples that contain antibodies against the hepatitis B virus. It is given as a shot to people exposed to the hepatitis B virus to protect them from infection. The hepatitis B virus can survive outside the body for at least 7 days. During that time, the virus is still capable of causing infection.
All blood spills including those that have already dried should be cleaned and disinfected with a mixture of bleach and water 1 part household bleach to 10 parts water. Gloves should always be worn when cleaning up any blood spills.
Even dried blood can cause infection. However, some people, especially those infected during early childhood, remain infected for life because they never cleared the virus from their bodies. These people are considered to have chronic infection and are at risk for developing severe liver disease.
The American Red Cross external icon does not accept blood donations from anyone who has tested positive for hepatitis B or anyone experiencing symptoms of viral hepatitis. According to the U. Even with a history of hepatitis B, you may be able to donate your organs or tissues. The transplant team will determine what organs or tissue can be used based on a clinical evaluation, medical history, and other factors.
CDC has recently published information about how to assess solid organ donors and monitor transplant recipients for hepatitis B infection pdf icon. The best way to prevent hepatitis B is by getting vaccinated.
The hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective. Completing the series of shots 2, 3, or 4 doses, depending on the manufacturer is needed to be fully protected. Only people visiting countries where hepatitis B is common should get the hepatitis B vaccine before travel.
The hepatitis B vaccine is safe, and soreness at the injection site is the most common side effect. As with any medicine, there are very small risks that a serious problem could occur after getting the vaccine. The safety of vaccines is always being monitored. If the hepatitis B vaccine series is interrupted, the next dose should be given as soon as possible. The first dose s does not need to be repeated. Anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to a prior dose of hepatitis B vaccine, any part of the vaccine, or yeast should not get the hepatitis B vaccine.
Most healthy people do not need a booster dose, but a blood test can be performed to check your immunity and decide if a booster dose of vaccine is necessary. Yes, there is a combination vaccine approved for adults that protects people from both hepatitis A and hepatitis B. The combined hepatitis A and B vaccine is usually given as three separate doses over a 6-month period. Getting two different vaccines at the same time is not harmful.
Talk to your health-care provider or local health department about getting vaccinated. Some clinics offer free or low-cost hepatitis B vaccines. Most children younger than 5 and people with serious health problems like having compromised immune systems have no symptoms. Up to half of all older children, adolescents, and adults experience symptoms of acute hepatitis B.
If symptoms occur, they begin an average of 90 days or 3 months after exposure to the virus, but they can appear any time between 8 weeks and 5 months after exposure.
They usually last several weeks, but some people can feel sick for as long as 6 months. Many people with hepatitis B have no symptoms, but they can still spread the virus to others. Most people with chronic hepatitis B do not have any symptoms, do not feel ill, and remain symptom free for decades. When and if symptoms do appear, they are similar to the symptoms of acute infection , but can be a sign of advanced liver disease. Some people still do not have symptoms even after their liver becomes diseased, although certain blood tests for liver function might show some abnormalities.
Chronic hepatitis B can develop into a serious disease resulting in long-term health problems, including liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, and even death. There were 1, deaths related to hepatitis B virus reported to CDC in , but this is an underestimate.
Talk to your health-care provider if you have risk factors for or think you might have hepatitis B. Since many people with hepatitis B do not have symptoms, blood tests are used to diagnose the infection.
Several different hepatitis B tests are available. Depending on the test, they can determine whether you. Certain tests can even determine how likely it is that someone who is infected with hepatitis B will transmit it to others.
Ask your health-care provider to explain what tests were ordered, when you can expect to get the results, and what those results mean.
If test results show that you are infected with the hepatitis B virus, you should consult a health-care provider that is experienced in caring for people with hepatitis B. This can be an internist or family medicine practitioner, or it may be someone who specializes in treating people with infectious, digestive, or liver diseases. There is no medication available to treat acute hepatitis B. For people with mild symptoms, health-care providers usually recommend rest, adequate nutrition, and fluids.
Those with more severe symptoms may need to be hospitalized. Several medications have been approved to treat people who have chronic hepatitis B, and new drugs are in development. However, not every person with chronic hepatitis B needs medication, and the drugs may cause side effects in some patients. People who start hepatitis B treatment may need to take medication indefinitely because these medications do not lead to a cure.
People with chronic hepatitis B should be under the care of a health-care provider that is knowledgeable about this illness like an internist or provider that specializes in treating people with infectious, digestive, or liver diseases and is able to regularly monitor their liver function. People recently diagnosed with hepatitis B should. First Name let us know your preferred name.
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Show references Lok AS. Hepatitis B virus: Clinical manifestations and natural history. Accessed Aug. Lok AS. Hepatitis B virus: Screening and diagnosis. Mantzoukis K, et al. Pharmacological interventions for acute hepatitis B infection. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Hepatitis B FAQs for the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis B. World Health Organization. Lok AS, et al. Hepatitis B cure: From discovery to regulatory approval.
Journal of Hepatology. Feldman M, et al. Saunders Elsevier; Accessed July 22, If you know you've been exposed to hepatitis B, contact your doctor immediately. A preventive treatment may reduce your risk of infection if you receive the treatment within 24 hours of exposure to the virus. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Subscribe for free and receive your in-depth guide to digestive health, plus the latest on health innovations and news.
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Your in-depth digestive health guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. The virus is passed from person to person through blood, semen or other body fluids. It does not spread by sneezing or coughing.
The younger you are when you get hepatitis B — particularly newborns or children younger than 5 — the higher your risk of the infection becoming chronic. Chronic infection may go undetected for decades until a person becomes seriously ill from liver disease.
Hepatitis B spreads through contact with blood, semen or other body fluids from an infected person. Your risk of hepatitis B infection increases if you:. Having a chronic HBV infection can lead to serious complications, such as:. The hepatitis B vaccine is typically given as three or four injections over six months.
You can't get hepatitis B from the vaccine.
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