Questions Frequently Asked About Hepatitis B

1 Questions Frequently Asked About Hepatitis B. What is Hepatitis B? How is Hepatitis B spread? loss of appetite nausea, vomiting Hepatitis B is a serious public health prob- Hepatitis B is found in the blood of people fever lem that affects people of all ages in the infected with the virus and certain of their weakness, fatigue, inability to work for and around the world. Hepatitis B is body fluids, such as serum, semen, and weeks or months caused by a highly infectious virus that vaginal secretions. Hepatitis B has not been abdominal pain attacks the liver and can lead to severe ill- shown to be spread from sweat, tears, urine, yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice). ness, liver damage, and in some cases, death. or respiratory secretions. Contact with joint pain More than 1 million people in the are microscopic amounts of infected blood can cola-colored urine currently infected and About 350 million cause infection.

2 Clay-colored stools people worldwide. Hepatitis B virus can be spread by The best way to be protected from hepa- I'm not in a risk group. How did titis B is to be vaccinated with Hepatitis unprotected sexual contact I get Hepatitis B infection? sharing needles and works . B vaccine, a vaccine used in the for Many people don't know when or how they a Hepatitis B-infected mother to her baby more than three decades that has proven got the infection. When they get the results during birth to be safe and effective. of a blood test indicating they've been contact with blood or open sores of a Hepatitis B-infected person infected with Hepatitis B, they are taken by Who is at risk for Hepatitis B infection? surprise. Studies have demonstrated that human bites from a Hepatitis B-infected Anyone who is not vaccinated is at risk for person About 15% of people who get infected with Hepatitis B infection.

3 If you engage in certain sharing a household with a person with Hepatitis B are unable to identify a risk fac- activities, your risk might be much higher. chronic (lifelong) Hepatitis B infection tor that explains why they have the disease. You might be at risk if you sharing personal-care items such as razors Do people usually recover from have a job that exposes you to human or toothbrushes pre-chewing food for babies or sharing Hepatitis B infection? blood share a household with someone who chewing gum The vast majority of adults recover after has chronic (lifelong) Hepatitis B infection using unsterilized needles in ear- or body- several months. They clear the infection from inject illegal drugs piercing, tattooing, or acupuncture their bodies and become immune. This have sex with a person infected with needle sticks or sharps injuries on the job means they won't get infected with Hepatitis Hepatitis B poor infection control practices in medi- B again.

4 They are no longer contagious and are sexually active but not in a long-term, cal settings cannot pass Hepatitis B to others. mutually monogamous relationship Hepatitis B IS NOT spread by Unfortunately, About 2% of adults and more are a man who has sex with men than 90% of children under age 1 year are are a person who was born, or who has a casual contact, like holding hands unable to clear the infection from their bodies parent born, in Asia, Africa, the Amazon eating food prepared by an infected person and develop chronic Hepatitis B infection. River Basin in South America, the Pacific kissing or hugging Islands, Eastern Europe, or the Middle sharing silverware, plates, or cups How do I know if I have or have had East visiting an infected person's home Hepatitis B infection? were adopted from Asia, Africa, the sneezing or coughing Amazon River Basin in South America, The only way to know if you are currently breastfeeding the Pacific Islands, Eastern Europe, or infected with Hepatitis B, have recovered, the Middle East What are the symptoms of Hepatitis are chronically infected, or could become are a patient or worker in an institution B infection?

5 Infected, is by having blood tests. The three for developmentally challenged people standard blood tests are the following: are an inmate of a correctional facility Most babies and young children who get HBsAg ( Hepatitis B surface antigen): travel internationally to areas with moder- Hepatitis B infection don't look or feel sick when this is positive or reactive, it ate or high rates of Hepatitis B infection at all. About half of adults who get infected means the person is currently infected with are receiving dialysis now or will be in don't have any symptoms or signs of the Hepatitis B and is able to pass the infection the future disease. If people do have signs or symp- on to others. toms, they might experience any or all of the have diabetes continued on the next page . following: immunization IAC. action coalition Technical content reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Saint Paul, Minnesota 651- 647- 9009 Item #P4090 (5/14).

6 Questions Frequently Asked About Hepatitis B (continued) page 2 of 4. Anti-HBs [sometimes written as HBsAb] Interpretation of the Hepatitis B blood test results (antibody to Hepatitis B surface antigen): when this is positive or reactive, it means the person is immune to Hepatitis B infec- tests results interpretation vaccination needed tion, either from vaccination or from past infection. (This test is not done routinely by HBsAg negative susceptible Yes, for all most blood banks on donated blood.) anti-HBc negative people who Anti-HBc [sometimes written as HBcAb] anti-HBs negative want protection * Postvaccination blood (antibody to Hepatitis B core antigen): when testing, when it is rec- this is positive or reactive, it might ommended, should be HBsAg negative immune no mean the person has had contact with hep- done 1 2 months after anti-HBc negative due to atitis B.

7 This is a very complicated test to the final vaccine dose. anti-HBs positive with vaccination explain because the anti-HBc can possibly 1. May be recovering 10mIU/mL*. be a false-positive test result. Blood banks from acute Hepatitis routinely run an anti-HBc on donated B infection. HBsAg negative immune due no blood. The interpretation of this test result, 2. May be distantly anti-HBc positive to natural immune, and the if it is positive, depends on the results of the anti-HBs positive infection test is not sensitive other two blood tests previously described. enough to detect a HBsAg positive newly no very low level of A fourth blood test that is sometimes done anti-HBc positive infected anti-HBs in serum. is IgM anti-HBc (IgM class antibody to hep- IgM anti-HBc positive 3. May be susceptible atitis B core antigen). When this is positive anti-HBs negative with a false posi- or reactive, it means that the person tive anti-HBc.

8 Has had Hepatitis B infection in the past six HBsAg positive chronically no 4. May be chronically months, indicating acute (recently acquired) anti-HBc positive infected (may need infected and have an Hepatitis B infection. IgM anti-HBc negative treatment) undetectable level anti-HBs negative of HBsAg present in What does it mean if my blood bank the serum. HBsAg negative four possibly . said I tested positive for Hepatitis B. anti-HBc positive interpretations and can no longer donate blood? anti-HBs negative possible . If the blood bank told you your test was positive, it is important to find out which test was positive. If the HBsAg was tion sheet along with you on your visit to your who has had Hepatitis B in her/his blood positive, this means that you are either healthcare provider. The blood bank does for more than 6 months. While approximately chronically infected with Hepatitis B or were not usually test for anti-HBs or IgM anti-HBc.

9 2% of adults who acquire Hepatitis B infec- recently infected. If only the anti-HBc was tion become chronically infected, children And remember, you cannot get Hepatitis positive, it is most likely that you either had younger than age 1 year have a much greater B from donating blood because the equip- a false-positive test or are immune to risk (more than 90%). The younger the ment used during blood donation is sterile. Hepatitis B infection (had Hepatitis B infec- child is at the time of infection, the greater tion sometime in the past). It is important the risk that the child will develop chronic that you understand the full meaning of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus infection. Many babies born to chronically your test results. If you are not sure how to infected mothers will also become chronically interpret these test results, call your blood Infection infected with Hepatitis B unless the babies bank for an explanation or have the blood are given two shots in the hospital immedi- What does it mean to be chronically bank send the test results to your healthcare ately after birth the first dose of Hepatitis infected with Hepatitis B?

10 Provider. You may need to provide written B vaccine and a dose of Hepatitis B immune permission for the blood bank to release People who do not recover from Hepatitis globulin (HBIG) and at least two doses these results to your healthcare provider. B infection are chronically infected, often of Hepatitis B vaccine during the 6 months Your healthcare provider may want to repeat for life. There are approximately one million after birth to protect them from the infection. the blood tests or perform additional tests chronically infected people in the today. The final dose should not be given before such as an anti-HBs. Bring this informa- A chronically infected person is someone 24 weeks of age. continued on the next page . immunization IAC. action coalition Technical content reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Saint Paul, Minnesota 651- 647- 9009 Item #P4090 (5/14).