HealthInfo Canterbury
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a virus that can damage your liver. The virus can cause either short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic) hepatitis.
You can get the virus from contact with an infected person's blood or other body fluids, such as saliva, semen and vaginal secretions.
Anyone can get hepatitis B but those most at risk are:
- babies born to mothers who have hepatitis B
- people with multiple sex partners
- men who have sex with men
- people with a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
- people who inject illegal drugs
- people who use non-sterile equipment for tattooing
- people who live with someone who has hepatitis B
- healthcare and public safety workers exposed to blood at work
- people having kidney dialysis
- travellers to regions with intermediate or high rates of hepatitis B
- people who participate in contact sports where there is a high risk of bleeding injury
- people aged 25 years or over who are of Māori, Pasifika or Asian ethnicity
- people born in Asia or the Pacific Islands.
Preventing hepatitis B
There is a vaccination available to prevent hepatitis B. Babies get this free, as part of the National Immunisation Schedule. It was introduced to New Zealand in the 1980s, so many adults have not been vaccinated. If you have not been vaccinated against hepatitis B and are at risk, talk to your GP.
Symptoms of hepatitis B
Children or babies who are infected with hepatitis B often do not get any symptoms from it at first but are very likely to develop a long-term infection (chronic hepatitis B).
Adults may become unwell two to three months after they are infected. Symptoms may include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- lack of appetite
- flu-like symptoms such as tiredness, general aches and pains, fever or muscle aches
- stomach pain
- pale coloured poos
- dark coloured urine
- yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (also called jaundice).
Hepatitis B usually goes away by itself. A few adults go on to have long-term (chronic) hepatitis B. Some people with chronic hepatitis B can develop scarring in their liver (cirrhosis) or liver cancer.
Many people do not know they are infected and can pass on the virus to other people.
Diagnosing hepatitis B
Hepatitis B can be diagnosed with blood tests to detect the presence of the hepatitis B virus or antibodies to the virus. During the early stages of acute hepatitis B blood tests may show changes in your liver function.
Treating hepatitis B
If you have hepatitis B and are pregnant, or planning to get pregnant, talk to your GP as early as possible. There are now treatments available to take during pregnancy that can protect your baby.
Most people with short-term (acute) hepatitis B infection will not need any treatment and the infection will go away by itself.
Some people with long-term (chronic) hepatitis B may need antiviral medications, such as Entecavir and Tenofovir, or an injection to boost your immune system called peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys). These medicines do not get rid of the virus but reduce the chances of developing long-term liver damage (cirrhosis) or liver cancer.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Gastroenterological Society of Australia – Hepatitis B
This factsheet has information about hepatitis B including how it is spread and how it is treated.
- Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand – Hepatitis B and Hepatitis B resources
Information about hepatitis, including where to go for help.
- Ministry of Health – Hepatitis B: Information for Pregnant Women
This leaflet has information for pregnant women to explain testing for exposure to the hepatitis B virus.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed July 2021.
SourcesReview key: HIHEP-49691
