Practice Safe Sex
Risks
Hepatitis B is a serious form of liver disease and a sexually transmitted infection (STI). A person with hepatitis B may not display any symptoms and may not even know they have the disease.
- Hepatitis B is spread through all body fluids, including blood and semen. Unprotected sex can put you at risk of contracting this disease.
- Sharing a razor, toothbrush, nail clippers, sex toys, or other personal items that may retain traces of bodily fluids or blood, with a person with hepatitis B or C could put you at risk.
Prevention
- Since the early 1990’s, most children get vaccinated against hepatitis B in elementary school. If you missed out, talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated for hepatitis B. It takes 3 shots over a 6 month period to become immune.
- Practice safe sex: use condoms!
- Encourage your sex partner(s) and all people you live with to get immunized against hepatitis B.
- If you live with or know someone who has hepatitis B, avoid all contact with their blood or body fluids. It is okay to hug and touch them. Direct contact with the blood of persons with hepatitis C should also be avoided; hepatitis B and C are not spread through food, water or casual contact.
