What is it? A viral infection affecting the liver.
What are the symptoms? Many people don’t have any symptoms. People may experience tiredness, aches, nausea & vomiting, loss of appetite, darkening of urine, tenderness in the stomach, or yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. Symptoms of acute HBV may appear 1 to 6 months after exposure. Symptoms of chronic HBV can take up to 30 years to appear, although liver damage can occur silently.
How do you get it? Through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. Also through childbirth if the baby does not get vaccinated against HBV; sharing contaminated needles or razors; or exposure to the blood, bodily fluids (like cum) or saliva of an infected person.
How do you treat it? Most often, acute HBV is treated with rest, eating well, and lots of fluids. Chronic HBV is treated through close monitoring by a doctor and anti-retroviral medications.
What are the consequences if left untreated? Increased risk for infection of other STDs, including HIV. Chronic, persistent inflammation of the liver and later cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. Babies born to infected women are likely to develop chronic HBV infection if they don’t get needed immunizations at birth (including HBV vaccination).
Get Yourself Tested Anyone who has had sex may be at risk for an STD.
Can it be prevented? Vaccines are the best way to prevent HBV. You should get vaccinated for HBV if you were not vaccinated (3 doses) when you were younger.