Hepatitis

Hepatitis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the liver. Viral hepatitis refers to several common diseases caused by viruses that can lead to swelling and tenderness of the liver. The most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Hepatitis B and C can lead to serious, permanent liver damage.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is spread from person to person by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with the stool (feces) of a person with hepatitis A. This type of transmission is called "fecal-oral." The virus is easily spread in areas where there is poor sanitation or poor personal hygiene. Persons with hepatitis A can spread the virus to household members or to sexual partners. Casual contact—as in the usual office, factory, or school setting—does not spread the virus.
Hepatitis A Questions and Answers

• Hepatitis A Among Men who Have Sex with Men; June 2002 (PDF)*

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a bloodborne and sexually transmitted disease. It is spread much in the same way HIV is spread—by direct contact with blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. It is not spread by casual contact or by respiratory droplets. HBV is easier to catch than HIV because it is over 100 times more concentrated in an infected person’s blood and can exist on surfaces outside the body. HBV can cause severe liver disease, including liver scarring (cirrhosis) and liver cancer. HBV infects one out of every 20 people living in the United States.

HBV is sexually transmitted, but it is spread in other ways too. It is a hardy virus that can exist on almost any surface for up to one month. HBV can be spread by

• Unprotected vaginal or anal sex
• Sharing needles or paraphernalia (works) for illegal drug use
• Contact with open sores
• Living in a household with a person with long-term HBV infection
• Body piercing (including ear piercing) or tattooing with unsterile equipment
• Sharing toothbrushes, razors, nail clippers
• Human bites (here the risk to the biter is higher than the risk to the bitten person)

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread when infected blood from one person enters the body of another. The sharing of needles and drug paraphernalia while injecting drugs is the most common risk factor. Many people who have been infected with HIV (AIDS) are also infected with HCV. Sexual transmission of hepatitis C does occur, but it is not easily spread in this manner.

Hepatitis C IS NOT spread through casual contact or by swimming in pools, drinking from water fountains, or through sitting on a toilet seat. It IS NOT spread by coughing, sneezing, hugging, or by sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses, or through breast feeding.
Hepatitis C Questions and Answers

For more information, see our “Questions and Answers” pages or our listing of Hepatitis websites.

*Some resources are in a pdf format to make reading and printing easier. You may need to download the free software Adobe Reader 9.0 (or higher) to access them.