What is Hepatitis B and what causes it?
There is a worldwide risk of Hepatitis B. High risk areas are Asia, Africa and South America, but you can also catch it in Europe, North America and Australia.
Hepatitis B is a serious viral disease affecting liver function. It can develop into a life-long chronic condition with very unpleasant effects including liver failure, liver scarring and even liver cancer. Right now there are more than 2 billion people in the world infected with Hepatitis B, one in every three people on the planet.
You catch hepatitis B through contact with infected body fluids. High risk activities include sexual intercourse and sharing drug needles. Tattoo parlours, barber’s shops and nail salons are also risky, especially since the virus can live outside the body for up to seven days, lingering on instruments and surfaces.
Medical facilities in developing countries are high risk places, with more chance of picking the virus up from unsterilised instruments. It’s always wise to carry your own sterile emergency kit with clean needles and syringes, just in case. Blood transfusions in dirty places also increase the risk of exposure to contaminated blood.
Hepatitis B Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms usually appear 1 – 4 months after infection and can be anything from mild to severe. Common hepatitis B symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain
- Dark coloured urine
- Fever and painful joints
- No appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Tiredness and weakness
- Yellow skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
When do I need protection against hepatitis B?
Immunisation is recommended for a range of people who are at particularly at risk:
- Those who inject drugs or have a partner who injects drugs
- Those who change their sexual partners often
- Homosexual men
- Babies born to infected mothers
- People whose close family member or lover already has hepatitis B
- Those who need regular blood transfusions or other blood products
- Those with any kind of liver problem or serious kidney disease
- Anyone going to an at-risk country
- Nurses, doctors, dentists, prisoners and prison staff, people who work in labs and those adopting or looking after children from affected areas
How to minimise the risk of catching hepatitis B?
It is wise to take extra precautions even if you’ve been vaccinated. Understand the status of your sexual partners. Practice safe sex and use protection. Avoiding tattooing and body piercing in unregulated places. Never share needles or other drug paraphernalia. And always use rubber gloves when handling blood.
Vaccination information:
The course consists of three doses. The second injection is given four weeks after the first and the third injection needs to follow five months later.
If travelling at short notice, you may be able to get an accelerated course. You will receive the second injection after seven days, followed by the third injection at least 14 days after the second.
Once you have completed the course, you usually won’t need another booster for five years.
