Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is an infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. The virus is found in the blood and bodily fluids of an infected person.
Many people with hepatitis B have few symptoms andmay notknow they're infected. They may spread the infection without realising it.
Hepatitis B is most often caught in parts of the world where the infection is more common, although certain groups ofpeople are atrisk ofpicking up theinfection in the UK.
Hepatitis B can be spread by:
Hepatitis B isn't spreadby kissing,holding hands, hugging, coughing, sneezing, or sharing crockeryand utensils.
People at highest risk of hepatitis B include:
The riskof getting hepatitis B for travellers goingto places where the infection is common is generally considered to be low if the activities mentioned above are avoided.
Your GP can arrange for you to have a bloodtest to check for hepatitis B and have the hepatitis B vaccination if you're at a high risk.
Hepatitis B isfoundthroughout the world, but isparticularly common in:
Most new cases of hepatitis B in the UK occur in people who caught the infection in one of these areas before moving to the UK.
Read about hepatitis B, an infection of the liver that's caused by a virus. Find out about the symptoms, causes, treatments and risks of the condition.
Read about the main symptoms of hepatitis B and how long they usually last.
You can become infected with hepatitis B if you're not immune to the virus and you come into contact with infected blood or body fluids.
Read about when hepatitis B needs to be treated and what the main treatments are.
Read about the possible complications of hepatitis B, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.