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What is hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is caused by a virus spread most commonly in men in blood,
cum and pre-cum, but occasionally also in spit and piss. It is much more
infectious than HIV and is easily passed on during sex. See also About
hepatitis B and How
it’s passed on.
Condoms reduce some of the risk but vaccination is the best protection.
Do I have to pay for the vaccination?
No, it is available free for gay and bisexual men from sexual health clinics.
Your doctor can also vaccinate you free of charge, but you might prefer
to go to a sexual health clinic since the service is anonymous and confidential.
For more information, see Vaccination.
I am HIV positive.
Can I get vaccinated against hepatitis B?
Being vaccinated against both hepatitis A and B is
not only safe but recommended if you have HIV. This is because these infections
can be more serious if you have HIV.
There’s more chance that the vaccination won’t work the first time if you have HIV, so you might need to repeat the vaccination. As the vaccine can make your HIV viral load go up (but only for a short time) your HIV doctor should be told if you’re being vaccinated.
I am a gay 16-year-old. Am I too young to
get the hepatitis B vaccine?
There is no age limit for either the hepatitis A or
B vaccines. Both are available free of charge for gay and bisexual men
from sexual health clinics.
I’ve had close contact with someone
who’s recently been diagnosed with hepatitis B. What should I do?
Assuming they’re not already immune (either from
being vaccinated or having hepatitis B in the past), someone who’s
had contact with an infected person that puts them at risk can be protected
by being vaccinated. This should be as soon as possible, ideally within
7 days, but possibly within 14 days of contact with the infected person.
A doctor can give advice on this.
How long does the hepatitis B vaccine last?
Generally, you will remain protected for about 10 years
when your GP or sexual health clinic will take a blood sample to check
your antibody level. If your antibody level is too low to give you protection,
you will be given a booster injection.
I started a vaccination course a few years
ago but didn’t finish it. Am I still at risk from hepatitis B?
While you won’t have full immunity from hepatitis
B until you complete you course, you may have some. The amount of protection
you get is proportionate to the number of injections you had.
It is important to finish the course of injections and in most circumstances you shouldn’t have to start from the beginning. Remember to explain to the doctor or nurse what your situation is and they should be able to make an accurate decision.
Is spit risky for hepatitis B?
While the virus can be present in spit, it is in much
lower levels than in blood. Only a handful of cases worldwide have been
reported through bites; there have been none from spit in the eye. Deep
kissing could pass on Hepatitis B on but it isn't common.
I’ve been told I’m a ‘carrier’
for hepatitis B. What does this mean and what can be done about it?
If six months of being infected a blood test shows
you still have the virus in your blood this means you’ve developed
long term (‘chronic’) hepatitis B. You may not feel ill at
all but because your immune system hasn’t been able to get rid of
the virus you’re still infectious to others and at risk of getting
liver disease.
You can be given drugs to control the virus (maybe even get rid of it for good). The drugs should make you less infectious and help protect your liver from damage. These may need to be taken for months or a year or two (maybe longer). Sometimes your body will get rid of the virus on its own, or the drugs will do it. You may be advised to avoid alcohol, fatty food and recreational drugs as these put extra strain on the liver of someone with hepatitis.
I have had hepatitis B before. Should I get
vaccinated?
No, there will be no need as people who have had hepatitis
B will have a natural immunity to the virus and cannot catch it again.
I was vaccinated against hepatitis in the
past but I can’t remember which one. What should I do?
Your doctor or sexual health clinic should be able
to take a blood sample to test what antibodies you have and how many of
them there are. This should give some indication what vaccines you have
had and how much protection they are giving you. The blood test will show
whether you are still protected or need another injection to boost your
protection. Having already had one kind of hepatitis (or being vaccinated
against one type) doesn’t protect you from the others.
Where can I find out more about Hepatitis
B?
Visit www.britishlivertrust.org.uk
or www.hepb.org.uk
or get a copy of the booklet The
risks of Hepatitis B from Terrence Higgins Trust.
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