When Last Did You Test for Hepatitis B?

When last did you check your hepatitis B status? If your answer is “never” or “I cannot remember,” you are not alone. Hepatitis B can remain silent for years, so a test is the only reliable way to know your status. Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver. While some people clear the infection, others develop chronic hepatitis B, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer. Many people have no early symptoms. When symptoms occur, they may include tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine and yellowing of the eyes or skin. The virus spreads through infected blood and certain body fluids. Common routes include unprotected sex, sharing needles or sharp objects, unsafe tattoo or piercing equipment, and transmission from mother to child during birth. It does not spread through hugging, sharing meals, coughing or sneezing, so people living with hepatitis B should not be stigmatized. World Hepatitis Day is a reminder to get informed, get tested and ask a health professional about vaccination and treatment options. Early testing can help protect your health and prevent transmission to others.

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