Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by HBV. HBV is transmitted when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is uninfected.
Hepatitis B can range from a mild, short-term, acute illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, long-term, chronic infection.
The type of hepatitis B you have depends on how long you have had the virus in your body, the health of your liver, and other factors. A blood test will indicate which one you have.
Acute hepatitis B is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after exposure to HBV. Some people with acute hepatitis B have no symptoms or only a mild illness. For others, acute hepatitis B can cause a more severe illness that requires hospitalization.
Acute hepatitis B can lead to a lifelong infection known as chronic hepatitis B. Left untreated, chronic hepatitis B can cause serious health problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even death.
Many people infected with hepatitis B virus won’t experience symptoms. If symptoms occur during acute infection, they often begin 90 days after exposure. Although the symptoms of acute HBV infection and chronic HBV infection may be similar, most people with chronic infection do not have symptoms until much later in life, often decades after exposure.
Symptoms of hepatitis B include:
Hepatitis B is primarily spread when blood, semen, or certain other body fluids – even in microscopic amounts – from a person infected with HBV enter the body of someone who is not infected.
Although anyone can get hepatitis B, certain life circumstances, jobs, and behaviors can increase your risk.
The best way to prevent hepatitis B is by getting vaccinated. You need to get all shots in the series to be fully protected.
Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis B. Learn more about recommendations and options for vaccination.
CDC recommends all adults get screened for hepatitis B at least once in their lifetime through a blood test. There are also some people who should be tested more often, including:
For clinicians looking to learn more about testing options for viral hepatitis, see the clinical testing guidelines.
If you are diagnosed with acute or chronic hepatitis B, find a doctor who specializes in infectious, digestive, or liver diseases. They will need to do regular tests to monitor how your liver is working.
For people with acute hepatitis B and experiencing mild symptoms, health care providers usually recommend rest, adequate nutrition, and fluids. There are no medications for acute hepatitis B. There are some medications for chronic hepatitis B; they aren't a cure and are only helpful for some people with chronic hepatitis B. Learn more about treatment options for hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B is sometimes difficult to understand, especially how it spreads and how people recover. Here are a few misconceptions cleared up for you.
Many people with hepatitis B do not have any symptoms.
You can still spread HBV to others even if you don’t have any symptoms.
Most people infected with hepatitis B who do not clear the virus within 6 months are diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and remain infected. They cannot be infected again.
Some people — including people infected during childhood — can be infected for life if they never "clear" the virus from their bodies. These people are considered to have chronic hepatitis B and are at risk for severe liver disease.
Although HBV can be found in saliva, it is not spread through kissing or sharing utensils. It is also not spread through sneezing, coughing, hugging, breastfeeding, or food or water.
If you have chronic hepatitis B, it's important to find a doctor who understands the disease and can regularly monitor your liver. Chronic hepatitis B can cause serious health problems, so having someone in your corner is critical.
If you've recently been diagnosed with hepatitis B, be sure to:
To end the public health threat of viral hepatitis, CDC works with health care providers, health departments, and community-based organizations to improve access to viral hepatitis prevention, testing, treatment, and care services in the United States.
In 2022, CDC updated hepatitis B vaccination recommendations to encourage and promote universal hepatitis B vaccination in all adults ages 19–59 and adults over 60 with risk factors for hepatitis B.
In 2023, CDC updated hepatitis B screening and testing recommendations to encourage and promote universal hepatitis B screening and testing in all persons 18 and older at least once in their lifetime.
