 What is hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted liver disease caused by the
hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBV is spread much like HIV, the virus that
causes AIDS. HBV, however, is easier to catch than HIV because it is over
100 times more concentrated in an infected person's blood and it can exist
on surfaces outside the body.
How serious is hepatitis
B?
HBV infection can cause severe
liver disease, including liver failure (cirrhosis) and liver cancer. Over
5,000 people die every year from hepatitis B-related liver disease.
How great is my risk for getting HBV
infection?
HBV infects one out of
every 20 people living in the United States. Gay and bisexual men who have
multiple partners are 10 to 15 times more likely to acquire HBV than the
general population.
How do I protect myself from HBV
infection?
- Get the hepatitis B shots
- Continue to practice "safer" sex
- Put a barrier between you and another
person's body fluids and blood (e.g., condom, dental dam)
- Tell your friends at risk to get vaccinated
with hepatitis B vaccine!
|
Hepatitis B vaccination
is your best protection against this
disease. |
How is HBV spread?
HBV is not just a sexually transmitted disease. It is a
hardy virus that can exist on almost any surface for up to one month. HBV
is found in the blood, semen, and vaginal secretions of infected people,
and low concentrations can be found in saliva.
HBV can be spread by:
- unprotected anal or vaginal sex
- sharing needles used for drugs, body
piercing, or tattooing
- contact with open sores
- sharing toothbrushes, razors, nail clippers,
or washcloths
- living in a household with a person with
ongoing HBV infection.
- human bites
You do not get HBV from sneezing, coughing, or
holding hands.
What are the symptoms of HBV?
- extreme tiredness
- joint pain
- loss of appetite
- nausea, vomiting
- fever
- dark-colored urine
- bloated and tender belly
- yellowish tinged skin and eyes
Only about half of people who are infected with
HBV get symptoms. People who are infected with HBV, whether they have
symptoms or not, can spread the disease to others!
Do people fully recover from
HBV?
Approximately 6% of adults who
become infected will carry HBV in their bodies for years or for life and
remain contagious. These people are called "chronically infected."
Chronically infected people usually do not have symptoms, but are at
increased risk for liver failure and liver cancer and need ongoing medical
care.
 |
"I'll have to tell Jack to go in for his hepatitis B
shots, too." |
How do I know if I have or have had
hepatitis B?
The only way to know
for sure is to have your blood tested. Up to 70% of gay and bisexual men
have already been infected with HBV.
Will hepatitis B vaccine protect me from
hepatitis A or hepatitis C?
NO.
Hepatitis A and hepatitis C are different diseases caused by different
viruses. Hepatitis A occurs often in men who have sex with men. There is a
vaccine for hepatitis A. Talk to your doctor about whether you need this
vaccine. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.
Where can I receive hepatitis B
shots?
Talk to your health care
provider or your local public health department.
| Vaccinations protect your
health! |
This brochure was developed in cooperation with
the Youth and AIDS Projects, a service program of the University of
Minnesota.
This brochure has been reviewed by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. It may be reproduced without
permission. If you alter it, please acknowledge that it was adapted from
the Immunization Action Coalition.
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