Hepatitis B

 Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by a virus. It is caught by exposure to the blood or body fluids of an infected person. Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV. Most people do not realise they have been infected with the virus, because symptoms may not develop at once, or at all. There is a vaccine available to protect against hepatitis B.

The virus is present in bodily fluids such as saliva, blood, semen and vaginal fluid. It can be passed from person to person through unprotected sex or by sharing needles to inject drugs. Infected mothers can also transmit the virus to their baby during childbirth.

The incubation period (time from coming into contact with the virus to developing the infection) is between one and six months. A blood test can then be carried out to detect the virus. After infection, the hepatitis B virus can go on to cause a long-term illness. This is very common in babies and young children, but it can also occur in adults. If you develop long term hepatitis B, you may stay well, but you may still pass on the virus. Symptoms may come and go, or you may develop serious liver damage.

Hepatitis B is not very common in the UK: there are about 180,000 people with long term hepatitis B and about 7000 new cases found each year. Around 300 people will have been infected within the UK and the rest infected abroad.