What should you know about hepatitis B transmitted?

Hepatitis B is transmitted when infected blood or certain body fluids enter another person's body through skin or mucous membranes. Common situations include sex, childbirth, shared needles, needlestick injuries, and equipment that was not properly sterilised for tattoos, piercings, or procedures. Casual contact does not usually transmit the virus.

Transmission requires a route into the body; touching intact skin is different from contact with a wound, the eyes, or the mouth. A person can transmit hepatitis B without symptoms. Sharing razors, toothbrushes, or nail tools can be risky if they carry blood. The infection may cause fatigue or dark urine, but feeling well does not rule it out. Kissing and shared food are not usual routes unless blood exposure is involved.

Vaccination provides an important way to reduce the chance of infection. Use sterile equipment, do not share needles or items that may carry blood, and use barrier protection during sex when protection status is unknown. Household and sexual contacts of someone with hepatitis B should ask about testing and vaccination. If exposure is possible, a clinician may order hepatitis B-specific blood tests and a Liver Function Test. Do not donate blood until an assessment is complete.

Get prompt medical advice after a needlestick, a bite that breaks skin, unprotected sex with a potentially infected person, or blood contact with the eyes, mouth, or an open wound. Preventive care can depend on how recent the exposure was. Seek urgent assessment for jaundice, severe vomiting, confusion, or rapidly worsening symptoms.

Ask whether the event counts as a significant exposure, which tests are needed, and whether vaccination or preventive treatment is suitable. Ask when to repeat testing, how to protect partners and household members, and which symptoms require immediate review.