Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is a viral sexually transmitted infection (STI), which affects your liver. Hepatitis B is the most common strain of hepatitis worldwide. Most people who contract hepatitis b will naturally clear the virus without any ill effects after a few months; however approximately 10% of people will develop a chronic infection, which can lead to serious health problems. Am I at risk for getting Hepatitis B? Hepatitis B can be transmitted through contact with infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid or saliva. The infected fluid can enter your bloodstream through different risk activities. Here are some ways that the hepatitis b virus can be transmitted: • Performing oral sex on your partner’s vulva, penis or anus • Receiving oral sex from your partner • Having vaginal sex • Having anal sex • Occasionally through deep kissing • Sharing razors, toothbrushes or other personal items • Sharing needles, crack pipes, rolled up dollar bills for sniffing drugs, or through other drug paraphernalia. • Using unsanitary tattooing or piercing equipment • Sharing sex toys such as dildos and vibrators *Hepatitis B cannot be passed through casual contact or through dry kissing or massage or from swimming pools and saunas. Hepatitis B can survive outside of the human body in an infected fluid, which is why it is so easy to transmit through sharing drug paraphernalia and personal items. Having unprotected anal and vaginal sex and sharing drug paraphernalia, including needles poses a very high risk of transmitting the virus. How can I avoid getting Hepatitis B? If you are sexually active and engaging in any of the listed risk activities, you are at risk for contracting hepatitis b; however, there are ways to reduce the risk. You can……. • Talk about safer sex with your sex partners • Use a condom every time you have anal or vaginal sex • Use a condom every time you perform oral sex on your partner’s penis • Use a dental dam (made out of a condom or purchased separately) every time you perform oral sex on your partner’s vulva or anus • Get regular testing for sexually transmitted infections. • If you or your partner has hepatitis b, use protection during sex or wait until the infection has been cleared to resume sexual activity. • Avoid sharing needles, crack pipes and other drug paraphernalia with others. Always use your own clean equipment if you choose to use drugs which require it. • Avoid sharing razors, toothbrushes and other personal items with others. • Sterilize sex toys between use. Do not transfer a dildo or vibrator from your partner’s anus, vagina or mouth into yours or visa versa without sterilizing it first. • If you get a piercing or tattoo, make sure the piercer/tattooist takes a clean needle out of the package in front of you. Preventative Vaccine There is a preventative vaccine that is available in Canada, which can greatly reduce the risk of contracting hepatitis b. It cannot, however, cure a hepatitis b infection once you have it. The vaccine is administered three times at differing intervals. All three shots need to be taken in order for it to work. The vaccine has, since the 1990’s, been routinely administered to youth in grade seven in schools throughout the country. If you have not received the hepatitis b vaccine and you would like to have it, you can talk to your local healthcare provider for more details. How do I know if I have Hepatitis B? Many people who have hepatitis b have no symptoms at all. Even if there are no symptoms present, the virus can still easily be transmitted to other people. Less and less people in Canada are contracting the virus because of the preventative vaccine that is routinely administered in schools across Canada; however, while the vaccine is very effective it is not 100%. People who have not had the vaccine are at a greater risk of contracting the virus. The following are symptoms that people with hepatitis b may experience: • Tiredness or fatigue • A general feeling of malaise or being under the weather (mildly sick) • Jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and eyeballs), which is an indication of liver problems • Fever, joint pain, chills or abdominal pain • Nausea and/or loss of appetite *Of those who have chronic hepatitis b infections, a small number will develop serious liver problems or damage such as cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. A small percentage of people will die of liver failure. Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of these complications. Many people can go years without developing symptoms but still be transmitting it to others. For those who do experience symptoms they usually occur approximately 1.5 months to 6 months after contracting the infection. How can I get a test for Hepatitis B? You can get tested for hepatitis b at your doctor’s office, walk-in clinic or sexual health centre. There are sexual health clinics located throughout Canada. The Canadian Federation for Sexual Health has several members that provide both testing and treatment. The services provided are confidential and youth friendly. To find a member close to you: http://cfsh.ca/ppfc/find.asp How is the test for Hepatitis B done? Testing for hepatitis b is done through a blood test. A health care professional will draw blood and send it to a lab for testing. How is Hepatitis B Treated? Although there is no cure for hepatitis b, the majority of people who contract it, fight it off through their bodies natural defenses. There are antiviral treatments available to people who have a chronic hepatitis b infection, which can reduce symptoms and the risk of transmitting the virus to others. What happens if I get Hepatitis B and don’t get treated? For those who develop chronic infections, untreated hepatitis b can lead to cancer or cirrhosis of the liver. In some cases liver failure or death may occur, although this is not common. In pregnant women who are infected with the virus and choose to parent, hepatitis b can be passed to their babies during delivery. People who contract hepatitis b as infants nearly always develop chronic hepatitis b. There are preventative measures that can be taken to greatly reduce the risk of mother to baby transmission.