Lightly edited repost of our original Medium article.
Hepatitis is a viral infection that infects the liver. While there are many different types, hepatitis A, B, and C are the most common. This guide will focus on hepatitis B, which is often spread through sexual contact.
TL;DR 📚
- What: Hepatitis B
- Type of infection: Viral, can be chronic or acute
- Symptoms: Fatigue, poor appetite, stomach pain, nausea, jaundice, and more
- Transmission: Oral, anal, or vaginal sex, contact with infected blood
- Prevention: Vaccination, barrier methods
- Testing: Blood tests
- Treatment: Varies depending on whether the infection is viral or acute — no treatment recommended other than rest and fluids for mild acute infections
Symptoms
The symptoms for hepatitis B vary depending on whether the infection is acute or chronic. Around half of adults with acute (short-term) infections experience symptoms including fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain, or jaundice.
For chronic infections, most people are symptom-free, possibly for decades. If symptoms do appear, they can be similar to acute symptoms, but can signal liver damage.
Transmission
Similar to other STIs, hepatitis B is spread through anal, oral, or vaginal sex with an infected partner. It can also be transmitted through contact with infected blood, such as in clinical settings or through the sharing of needles, or through childbirth. Unlike hepatitis A, hepatitis B is not usually spread through food or water.
Prevention
The best prevention for hepatitis B is the vaccine. Since most babies infected with hepatitis B develop a chronic infection, the CDC recommends infants be given the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. If you haven’t been vaccinated for hepatitis B, you can still get vaccinated to protect yourself. For adults, the vaccine is especially recommended for those with those at higher risk of infection, such as immunocompromised people, healthcare workers, and people who inject drugs.
Using barrier methods like condoms and dental dams and avoiding contact with potentially infected blood (i.e. always using clean needles) are other ways to reduce the chance of transmission.
Testing
If you have any symptoms of hepatitis B or believe you have been potentially exposed to the virus, you should be tested. Regular screenings may also be recommended for people at higher risk, like healthcare workers, men who have sex with men, pregnant people, people who are HIV-positive, and people who use injected drugs. It takes a while for the virus to be detected, between 30 to 60 days after infection.
Your provider will administer a blood test, which can also determine whether you have antibodies from vaccination or previous infection that protect you from future infection.
Treatment and Follow-Up
While it may take a while (starting around 3 weeks and up to two months) for the infection to show up on tests or cause any symptoms, there are postexposure prophylaxis injections that prevent infection after exposure to the virus. So if you think you’ve been exposed, seek medical care as soon as possible and within the first 72 hours of exposure.
For acute infections, there is currently no medication available. Health professionals will typically recommend fluids, rest, and a nutritious diet. Acute infections usually clear in a few weeks and no longer than six months.
For chronic infections, antiviral medications are often prescribed along with care that supports liver function such as avoiding alcohol, regular monitoring of liver function, and a nutritious diet.
The Bottom Line
We encourage people, especially those in a high-risk population, to get vaccinated against hepatitis B as this is the best way to prevent transmission. As always, Kiki For The Future is a stigma-free space for STIs and any other infection or health condition. We don’t believe in shame (unless that’s your kink), only in helping people have their best, most pleasurable sex lives.
Sources
- https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hbv/index.htm
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-b/symptoms-causes/syc-20366802
- https://www.healthline.com/health/hepatitis-b
- https://www.hhs.gov/hepatitis/learn-about-viral-hepatitis/hepatitis-b-basics/index.html
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