Is hepatitis B HIV?

Hepatitis B is caused by hepatitis B virus and mainly targets the liver. HIV affects the immune system. Having hepatitis B does not mean that a person has HIV, and an HIV test cannot diagnose hepatitis B. A person can have either infection, both infections, or neither, so the correct tests are needed when there has been a possible exposure.

Some people with hepatitis B have no symptoms. Others may develop tiredness, nausea, discomfort under the ribs, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or dark urine. Symptoms alone cannot identify which virus is present. A clinician may use blood tests to look for hepatitis B markers and assess liver health; a [Liver Function Test](/treatments/diagnostics-and-screening/liver-function-test/) can be part of that assessment.

Arrange medical advice if you may have been exposed through sex, shared injecting equipment, an unsterile procedure, or contact with infected blood. Tell the clinician when the exposure happened and whether you have received [Hepatitis B Vaccination](/treatments/preventive-care-and-vaccination/hepatitis-b-vaccination/). They can advise which tests are appropriate and whether vaccination or other time-sensitive care is needed.

Until you have advice, do not share needles, razors, toothbrushes, or anything that may carry blood. Use condoms or other barrier protection, and cover open cuts. Do not donate blood. If you have a confirmed infection, inform healthcare professionals before procedures and ask how to protect household or sexual contacts. More background is available in [Hepatitis B](/conditions/hepatitis-b/).

Seek urgent medical help for yellow skin or eyes with severe vomiting, confusion, unusual sleepiness, severe abdominal pain, or bleeding. Prompt assessment is also sensible after a recent blood or sexual exposure, because preventive care may be time-sensitive even when you feel well.

Contact a clinician soon if you notice persistent [Fatigue](/symptoms/fatigue/) or [Dark Urine](/symptoms/dark-urine/), especially with nausea, pale stools, fever, or yellowing. These signs can have several causes, but they warrant an assessment rather than a guess about HIV or hepatitis B.

You could ask: Which hepatitis B and HIV tests do I need? Could the timing of an exposure affect the result? Do I need vaccination or urgent preventive treatment? Should my liver be checked? Should a partner or household contact be tested or vaccinated? What precautions should I take while results are pending?