Hepatitis B Causes

• The hepatitis B virus is known as a blood-borne virus because it is transmitted from one person to another via blood.
  • Semen and saliva, which contain small amounts of blood, also carry the virus.

  • The virus can be transmitted whenever any of these bodily fluids come in contact with the broken skin or a mucous membrane (in the mouth, genital organs, or rectum) of an uninfected person.

• People who are at increased risk of being infected with the hepatitis B virus include the following:
  • Men or women who have multiple sex partners, especially if they don't use a condom

  • Men who have sex with men

  • Men or women who have sex with a person infected with HBV

  • People with other sexually transmitted diseases

  • People who inject drugs with shared needles

  • People who receive transfusions of blood or blood products

  • People who undergo dialysis for kidney disease

  • Institutionalized mentally handicapped people and their attendants and family members

  • Health care workers who are stuck with needles or other sharp instruments contaminated with infected blood

  • Infants born to infected mothers

• In some cases, the source of transmission is never known.

• The younger you are when you become infected with the hepatitis B virus, the more likely you are to develop chronic hepatitis B. The rates of progression to chronic hepatitis B are as follows:
  • 90% of infants infected at birth

  • 30% of children infected at age 1-5 years

  • 6% of people infected after age 5 years

  • 5-10% of infected adults

• You cannot get hepatitis B from the following activities:
  • Being sneezed or coughed on

  • Hugging

  • Handshaking

  • Breastfeeding

  • Eating food or drinking water

  • Casual contact (such as an office or social setting)