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Hepatitis B Facts

Learn about symptoms, transmission and risk factors of hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It can cause both acute (short term) and chronic (lifelong) disease. A chronic infection makes a person 100X more likely to develop liver cancer and chronic hepatitis B is the #1 causes of liver cancer in the world.

For people who are chronically infected, many have no symptoms yet their liver is still being silently damaged which can develop into serious liver disease such as liver cancer.

Jump straight to:
Symptoms
What are the symptoms of hepatitis B?

Most APIs are infected at birth or early childhood, when symptoms may never develop. Thus the disease can progress undetected. Many of those infected with chronic hepatitis B have no symptoms at all. If symptoms do appear, they often appear too late, when the disease has become fatal and when treatment options are limited or ineffective. Only 30% of those with acute infections develop symptoms.

When symptoms of hepatitis B infection do develop, they include:

  • loss of appetite

  • fatigue

  • abdominal pain

  • joint and muscle pain

  • low-grade fever

  • possible stomach pain

  • nausea

  • vomiting

  • jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)

  • bloated stomach

Transmission
How is hepatitis B transmitted?

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted through blood to blood contact or sexual fluid:

BBS
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Birth

From a mother to a child at the time of birth (most common for APIs).

Blood

Open wound to wound contact with infected blood.

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Sex

Unprotected sex.

How Hepatitis B is NOT Transmitted
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Sharing Food

Hepatitis B is NOT spread through shared food.

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Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes do NOT carry or transmit hepatitis B.

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Coughing

Hepatitis B is NOT transmitted through coughing, sneezing or saliva.

Learn more about transmission in a public service announcement video created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Treatment or Cure
How is hepatitis B treated? (There is no cure)

While no cure for hepatitis B has been found, treatment can be used to reduce the liver damage that may result in cirrhosis and liver failure.

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Fortunately, not all people chronically infected with hepatitis B need treatment. Many patients go years without needing much more than monitoring of liver health every 6 months.  For those who need care right away or at a later point in life, there are several simple, often affordable treatment options with few side effects. 

Risk Factors
What are the risk factors for hepatitis B?

Among the Asian & Pacific Islander (API) community, the most common transmission of HBV occurs during the birthing process when the virus is passed on to the baby from a mother who is often unaware that she is infected.  Those at higher risk include:

  • People born in countries with high or medium rates of hepatitis B (includes many Asian, South East Asian and African countries) - because they were more likely to contract the disease

  • Those US born people not vaccinated as infants whose parents were born in those high risk regions

  • People who inject drugs or have a history of injection drug use

  • People who have more exposure to blood or sexual fluids

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Since perinatal transmission is the most common, prevention is of the utmost importance in the Asian community.

Protection
How can I protect myself against hepatitis B?

Protecting you and your family can be easily accomplished. All you need to do is get tested first, and if you're not infected, proceed to get vaccinated.

Acute and Chronic Hepatitis
What is the difference between acute and chronic hepatitis B?

A hepatitis B infection can result in either an acute infection or a chronic infection.

Acute Hepatitis B Infection

A hepatitis B infection can result in either an acute infection or a chronic infection. Acute hepatitis B is often contracted as an adult from sex or direct exposure to blood. This is because as adults, the immune system is completely developed and thus is eventually able to fight off the hepatitis B virus and eliminate the infection.

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An acute hepatitis B infection may last up to six months (with or without symptoms) and infected persons are able to pass the virus to others during this time.

Treatment

  • If treatment for an acute hepatitis B infection is required, a person may be hospitalized for general support, meaning rest and managing symptoms are the primary goals of this medical care. Still have questions? Call 415-336-2629.

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  • There is a rare, life-threatening condition called “fulminant hepatitis” that can occur with a new acute infection and requires immediate, urgent medical attention since a person can go into sudden liver failure.

Most healthy adults that are infected do not have any symptoms and are able to get rid of the virus without any problems.

Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

Some adults are unable to get rid of the virus after six months and they are diagnosed as having a "chronic infection." A simple blood test can diagnose an acute or chronic hepatitis B infection. 

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The risk of developing a chronic hepatitis B infection is directly related to the age at which a person is first exposed to the hepatitis B virus. The younger a person is when they are first infected, the greater the risk of developing a chronic hepatitis B infection:

Pregnancy & Newborn Risks
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More than 90% of infants (1 or less) who are infected with hepatitis B will develop chronic hepatitis B.

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30% - 50% of young children between 1 and 5 years who are infected will develop chronic hepatitis B.

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Only 5-10% of healthy adults 19 years and older who are infected will develop chronic hepatitis B infection (that is, 90% will get acute hepatitis B and recover.

Most pregnant women do not know whether they are infected with hepatitis B and can unknowingly pass the virus to their newborns during childbirth. Therefore, since the risk of newborns becoming chronically infected at birth is so high, both the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that all infants receive the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 12-24 hours after birth.

The recommendation for hepatitis B vaccination of babies and children is so important because they are at the greatest risk of developing a chronic infection if they are not protected against the hepatitis B virus as soon as possible. 

Hepatitis ABCs
What are the ABC's of hepatitis B?

"Hepatitis" refers to any disease that results in inflammation of the liver, regardless of how that disease is contracted.

Hepatitis A
SEVERITY
  • Acute
TRANSMISSION
  • Fecal-oral route: When an uninfected person ingests food or water that has been contaminated with the feces of an individual infected with hepatitis A
CURE
  • Self-resolving with no lasting liver damage. After one infection, your body develops antibodies that prevents re-infection.
PREVENTION
  • Hepatitis A vaccine
Hepatitis B
SEVERITY
  • Acute and chronic
TRANSMISSION
  • Through contaminated blood and sexual fluids
CURE
  • Chronic hepatitis B has no cure. Acute hepatitis B often self resolves and leads to your body developing antibodies that prevents re-infection.
PREVENTION
  • Hepatitis B vaccine
Hepatitis C
SEVERITY
  • Acute and chronic
  • ​Infection becomes chronic in more than 50% of cases regardless of when you were infected.
TRANSMISSION
  • Through contaminated blood
CURE
  • Can be cured through a series of treatments
PREVENTION
  • No effective vaccine is available at this time
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