What is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a virus. It can cause a serious infection of the liver. It is a reportable infection, meaning that if you test positive for Hepatitis B, you may be contacted by a clinic or health department to get contact information for current and past sexual partners for notification and testing purposes. Your name is not disclosed when a current or past sexual partner is notified.

How do you get Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is very contagious. You can get it from body
contact with body fluids – blood, semen, urine, vaginal fluids and saliva. The virus can be passed on through vaginal sex, oral sex, or anal sex with a person who has the infection. Sharing personal items, like toothbrushes and razors, or by sharing needles or tattoo equipment, can also pass on Hepatitis B. A pregnant woman can pass Hepatitis B on to her baby before it is born. Hepatitis B is not spread through food or water or by casual contact.

How can you tell if you have Hepatitis B?
Almost half of the people who have Hepatitis B don’t even know that they have it. They can still pass the virus on without knowing it. If you have Hepatitis B, you might notice

You feel tired.
You have pain in your abdomen.
Your urine or stool is a strange color.
Your skin is yellow.
You are not very hungry.
You feel like throwing up.

What does the term “Hepatitis B carrier” mean?
Hepatitis B carriers are people who will carry the virus with
them for the rest of their life and can pass it on to others.

How do you get tested for Hepatitis B?
A blood test can confirm whether or not you have Hepatitis B.

Do you need a follow-up test?
Yes. If you have Hepatitis B, the clinician will give you
another blood test to see if you are still able to pass the
infection on to other people.

Is there are cure for Hepatitis B?
There is no cure for Hepatitis B. There are medications
available to treat chronic (life-long) Hepatitis B infection.
You can protect yourself against Hepatitis B. There is a
vaccine that protects you. You can get the vaccination for
free at The House. It is given by needle. It takes three
needles and several months before you are protected. If you are at risk for getting Hepatitis B, you and your partner(s) should ask a clinician for these needles.