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Sexual Health Centre
Infections and Safer Sex |
Hepatitis
B
What is it?
Hepatitis B is transmitted through
body fluids during sexual contact. Drug use or unsafe tattooing also put
people at risk of Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is highly infectious; even using
a condom during anal and vaginal sex cannot fully protect a woman and her
partner(s) from this infection.
What are the
symptoms?
Many people who get Hepatitis
B have no symptoms and recover completely. Sometimes a person with hepatitis
may feel like they have the flu and have jaundice.
A few people have acute
Hepatitis B that causes extensive damage to their liver shortly after
infection. It can cause serious liver damage and death.
Another small group of people
may develop chronic Hepatitis B. Although they may not feel ill in the
beginning, the disease can seriously damage the liver through cirrhosis
of the liver and may eventually lead to death. People with chronic
disease can infect others throughout their lives.
How is it
diagnosed?
Hepatitis B is diagnosed through
a blood test.
How is it
treated?
In most cases, Hepatitis B gets
better on its own, but when it doesn't there is no sure cure. Several experimental
anti-viral drugs have been developed that may help treat the infection,
but mostly doctors treat the symptoms.
How can I
protect myself from Hepatitis B?
There is a vaccine
to prevent Hepatitis B. In Ontario, students are now vaccinated in grade
seven. People who do not use condoms or use i.v. drugs can receive the
vaccine from their doctor, a sexual health clinic or a public health
office.
The vaccine is given in three doses over a six-month period. Side effects
from the vaccine are very rare.
Hepatitis B is very infectious
and can be easily transmitted by unprotected vaginal or anal sex. A condom
can help protect you from this infection but it is not 100 percent effective.
Hepatitis B is also transmitted in blood and other body fluids; unclean
needles used for tattooing or to inject drugs can also transmit Hepatitis
B.
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