What is hepatitis B?

A viral disease that causes inflammation of the liver.

What are the symptoms?

Many people with hepatitis do not have any symptoms, or they think they have the flu for several days.

If they do have symptoms, the typical symptoms are:

• Loss of appetite
• Mild fever
• Dark brown urine
• Yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice)
• Light colored stools
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• General aches and pains

How is hepatitis B spread?

Hepatitis B is very infectious. It can be spread by people who do not know they have the disease. It is spread:

• Through sexual contact via semen and blood
• By sharing used needles and syringes when injecting drugs
• By tattooing needles and body piercing instruments, if not correctly sterilized
• By infected mothers to their babies - during prenatal care a test will be done to determine if you have the disease or are a carrier.
• By sharing toothbrushes and razors with an infected person
• Very rarely, by human bites

Who is at risk?

• Infants born to infected mothers
• Persons who have unprotected sex with a person infected with hepatitis B
• IV drug users who share needles with a person infected with hepatitis B
• Hemodialysis patients
• Health care workers including first responders

How long after I am infected will I become ill?

The incubation period is 4 to 26 weeks, usually 8 to 12 weeks.

How is it diagnosed?

Your doctor will do a physical examination, and order blood tests to determine the type of hepatitis you have. The physician will also need to determine if the hepatitis is caused by alcohol or drugs/medicines you are taking, or other viruses.

How long does the disease last?

Symptoms usually last several weeks. It usually takes 6 months for complete recovery.

If you have not completely cleared the virus from your blood within 6 months, you are considered chronically infected and are a hepatitis B carrier. This occurs in about 5-10% of adults and 25-90% of children under age five. Usually there are no signs or symptoms of chronic infection, but the disease can be passed on to other people as above.

What is the treatment for hepatitis B?

Rest, a healthy diet, avoiding alcohol and certain drugs for at least 6 months are all part of recovery from Hepatitis B. Ask your doctor about current medications.

There is no medication to take that will treat Hepatitis B. For chronic Hepatitis B, a drug called Interferon helps about 50% of those treated.

How can I keep from getting hepatitis B?

• Get hepatitis B vaccine (a series of 3 injections over 6 months)
• Practice safe sex - use a condom
• Clean up blood spills completely. Disinfect with a 1:10 dilution of bleach or other disinfectant, using gloves
• Do not share toothbrushes and razors
• Do not have tattoos or body piercing

If I have hepatitis B, how can I keep from spreading it?

• Practice safe sex - use a condom


• Do not share injection drug needles, razor blades or electric razors, or toothbrushes
• If you get any of your blood on anything, clean it up using a dilute solution of bleach or a disinfectant.
• Do not donate blood.
• Sexual partners and household members of chronic hepatitis B carriers should be vaccinated against hepatitis B
• Always tell your health care providers that you have hepatitis B. If you are a carrier, always share this information with sexual partners, paramedics, physicians, and other health care providers.

What type of follow-up care do I need?

• Your physician will do follow-up blood work to determine if the virus has cleared from your blood. If you are a carrier, you should discuss monitoring and treatment options with your physician.

Where can I get more information?

The Hepatitis Foundation International
504 Blick Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20904-2901
1-800-891-0707

Back to Life Orange County - Education and Support 14252 Culver Drive, #A-526
Irvine, CA 92604
949-654-4250

American Liver Foundation
75 Maiden Lane, Suite 603
New York, NY 10038-4810
800-676-9340

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
888-443-7232