Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. People who get hepatitis A may feel sick for a few weeks to several months but usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool and blood of people who are infected and can be spread when someone ingests the virus, usually through eating contaminated food or drink or through close personal contact with an infected person. Hepatitis A is very contagious, and people can even spread the virus before they get symptoms. However, hepatitis A is easily prevented with a safe and effective vaccine, which is recommended for all children at one year of age and for adults who may be at risk, including travelers to certain international countries.

Since the hepatitis A vaccine was first recommended in 1996, cases of hepatitis A in the United States have declined dramatically. Unfortunately, adult vaccination rates remain low and in recent years the number of people infected has increased as a result of multiple outbreaks of hepatitis A across the United States. While hepatitis A can affect anyone, certain groups are at greater risk of being infected in these outbreaks. To help stop the outbreaks, CDC recommends the hepatitis A vaccine for people who use drugs (including drugs that are not injected), people experiencing homelessness, men who have sex with men, people with liver disease, and people who are or were recently in jail or prison.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. Some people who become infected can go on to develop a chronic or lifelong infection. Over time, chronic hepatitis B can cause serious liver damage, and even liver cancer.

CDC recommends all adults get tested for hepatitis B at least once in their life and pregnant women during each pregnancy. Although there is no cure for hepatitis B, treatments are available that can delay or reduce the risk of developing liver cancer.

Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluids from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected or has not been vaccinated. This can happen through sexual contact; sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment; or from mother to baby at birth.

Hepatitis B can be prevented with a safe and effective vaccine.  Shortly after birth, babies should receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine. Three doses of the hepatitis B are recommended for children. CDC recommends all adults through age 59 and adults age 60 or older with risk factors get vaccinated, if they were not vaccinated as a child.  If you are age 60 or older and do not have risk factors, you may choose to get vaccinated.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness, but for more than half of people who become infected with the hepatitis C virus, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection that can lead to liver disease and liver cancer.

Rates of new infections have been on the rise, particularly among young adults, which coincides with the recent increase in injection drug use related to the United States’ opioid crisis. While more uncommon, hepatitis C can also spread through health care exposures, sex with an infected person, birth to an infected mother, and tattoos and body piercings from unlicensed facilities or informal settings.

People with hepatitis C often have no symptoms so testing is the only way to know if you are infected. CDC recommends all adults get tested at least once in their life and pregnant women get tested during each pregnancy.  In addition, anyone with ongoing risk and certain medical conditions should get tested. There is currently no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C. But treatments are available that can cure hepatitis C.  Most people with hepatitis C can be cured in just 8 to 12 weeks. Testing is the first step.

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis. However, hepatitis is often caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

Many people with hepatitis do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected. If symptoms occur with an acute infection, they can appear anytime from 2 weeks to 6 months after exposure. Symptoms of acute hepatitis can include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored stools, joint pain, and jaundice. Symptoms of chronic viral hepatitis can take decades to develop.

What causes it?

Number of U.S. cases

Key facts

How long does it last?

How is it spread?

Who should be vaccinated?

How serious is it?

Who should be tested?

Treatment

Risks for HIV

The most common ways HIV is transmitted in the United States is through anal or vaginal sex or sharing drug injection equipment with a person infected with HIV. Although the risk factors for HIV are the same for everyone, some racial/ethnic, gender, and age groups are far more affected than others.

What puts me at risk for Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is usually spread when a person ingests fecal matter — even in microscopic amounts — from contact with objects, food, or drinks contaminated by the feces or stool of an infected person. Due to routine vaccination of children, Hepatitis A has decreased dramatically in the United States. Although anyone can get Hepatitis A, certain groups of people are at higher risk, including men who have sex with men, people who use illegal drugs, people who travel to certain international countries, and people who have sexual contact with someone who has Hepatitis A.

What puts me at risk for Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is usually spread when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with the Hepatitis B virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through sexual contact with an infected person or sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment. Hepatitis B can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby at birth.

Among adults in the United States, Hepatitis B is most commonly spread through sexual contact and accounts for nearly two-thirds of acute Hepatitis B cases. Hepatitis B is 50–100 times more infectious than HIV.

What puts me at risk for Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. Hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants prior to the early 1990’s. At that time, widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, which has helped ensure a safe blood supply.
 

STDs

Risks for Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a common STD, and most people with genital herpes infection do not know they have it.   You can get genital herpes from an infected partner, even if your partner has no herpes symptoms.  There is no cure for herpes, but medication is available to reduce symptoms and make it less likely that you will spread herpes to a sex partner.

Risks for Genital Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV is so common that most sexually active people get it at some point in their lives. Anyone who is sexually active can get HPV, even if you have had sex with only one person. In most cases, HPV goes away on its own and does not cause any health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer. HPV is passed on through genital contact (such as vaginal and anal sex). You can pass HPV to others without knowing it. 

Risks for Chlamydia

Most people who have chlamydia don’t know it since the disease often has no symptoms. Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STD in the United States.  Sexually active females 25 years old and younger need testing every year. Although it is easy to cure, chlamydia can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant if left untreated. 

Risks for Gonorrhea

Anyone who is sexually active can get gonorrhea, an STD that can cause infections in the genitals, rectum, and throat. It is a very common infection, especially among young people ages 15-24 years. But it can be easily cured.  You can get gonorrhea by having anal, vaginal, or oral sex with someone who has gonorrhea. A pregnant woman with gonorrhea can give the infection to her baby during childbirth.

Risks for Syphilis

Any sexually active person can get syphilis. It is more common among men who have sex with men. Syphilis is passed through direct contact with a syphilis sore. Sores occur mainly on the external genitals, anus, or in the rectum. Sores also can occur on the lips and in the mouth. A pregnant women with syphilis can give the infection to her unborn baby.

Risks for Bacterial Vaginosis

BV is common among women of childbearing age. Any woman can get BV, but women are at a higher risk for BV if they have a new sex partner, multiple sex partners, use an intrauterine device (IUD), and/or douche.

Risks for Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a common STD that affects both women and men, although symptoms are more common in women. You can get trichomoniasis by having vaginal sex with someone who has it. Women can acquire the disease from men or women, but men usually contract it only from women.

Viral Hepatitis refers to a group of viral infections that affect the liver. The most common types are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.

Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C are diseases caused by three different viruses. Although each can cause similar symptoms, they have different modes of transmission and can affect the liver differently. Hepatitis A appears only as an acute or newly occurring infection and does not become chronic. People with Hepatitis A usually improve without treatment. Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C can also begin as acute infections, but in some people, the virus remains in the body, resulting in chronic disease and long-term liver problems. There are vaccines to prevent Hepatitis A and B; however, there is not one for Hepatitis C. Recommendations for testing depend on many different factors and on the type of hepatitis.

Persons who have an STD are at least two to five times more likely than uninfected persons to acquire HIV infection if they are exposed to the virus through sexual contact. In addition, if a person who is HIV positive also has an STD, that person is more likely to transmit HIV through sexual contact than other HIV-infected persons. 

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV are bloodborne viruses transmitted primarily through sexual contact and injection drug use. Because of these shared modes of transmission, a high proportion of adults at risk for HIV infection are also at risk for HBV infection. HIV-positive persons who become infected with HBV are at increased risk for developing chronic HBV infection and should be tested. In addition, persons who are co-infected with HIV and HBV can have serious medical complications, including an increased risk for liver-related morbidity and mortality.

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease in the United States. For persons who are HIV infected, co-infection with HCV can result in a more rapid occurrence of liver damage and may also impact the course and management of HIV infection. 

Chronic infections with HBV or HCV can cause liver cancer. Both viruses can be transmitted via blood (for example, by sharing needles or through blood transfusions) and from mother to baby at birth. In addition, HBV can be transmitted via sexual contact.

Since the 1980s, infants in the United States and most other countries have been routinely vaccinated against HBV infection. Experts recommend that adults who have not been vaccinated against HBV and are at increased risk of HBV infection get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccination is especially important for health care workers and other professionals who come into contact with human blood.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that everyone in the United States born from 1945 through 1965, and other populations at increased risk for HCV infection, be tested for HCV. Although there is not currently a vaccine against HCV, new therapies can cure people of HCV infection. If you think you may be at risk for HBV or HCV infection, ask your doctor about being tested. These infections do not always cause symptoms, but tests can show whether you have the virus. If so, your doctor may suggest treatment. Also, your doctor can tell you how to keep from infecting other people.

The Basics

Overview

Hepatitis B is a virus that spreads from person to person through blood, semen (cum), and fluids from the vagina. A mother with hepatitis B can also pass it to her baby at birth.

Some people who get hepatitis B can get rid of the virus. Others develop chronic (long-term) hepatitis B — a lifelong infection that can lead to liver disease, liver cancer, and even death.

The good news is there’s a vaccine (shot) to prevent hepatitis B.

To protect yourself and your family from hepatitis B:

• Make sure your children get the hepatitis B vaccine — and ask your doctor if you need it
• Get tested for hepatitis B if you're pregnant or at risk for infection
• Be safe when you travel to countries where hepatitis B is common

Do I need the hepatitis B vaccine?

The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for:

• All babies at birth
• Anyone under age 19 who didn’t get the vaccine as a baby
• Adults who are at risk for hepatitis B
• Anyone who wants to protect themselves from hepatitis B

If you think you might be at risk for hepatitis B, talk with your doctor or nurse about getting the vaccine. Find out more about who needs to get the hepatitis B vaccine.

Testing

Do I need to get tested for hepatitis B?

All pregnant women need to get tested for hepatitis B at their first prenatal doctor visit. Learn why the hepatitis B test is important for pregnant women.

Other people need to get tested if they're at risk for hepatitis B. For example, you're at risk if you:

• Were born in a place where hepatitis B is common, like certain countries in Asia, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean
• Have parents who were born in a place where hepatitis B is common
• Use drugs with needles
• Live with or have sex with someone who has hepatitis B
• Are a man who has sex with men
• Are taking medicine that weakens your immune system
• Have been in jail or prison

You’re also at risk if you have certain health conditions. For example:

• HIV
• Hepatitis C
• Kidney failure
• Chronic liver disease

Treatment

Is hepatitis B treatable?

Yes. The treatment for hepatitis B depends on the type of infection. The 2 types of hepatitis B infection are acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term).

Acute hepatitis B

When people first get infected with hepatitis B, it's called acute hepatitis B. For many people, acute hepatitis goes away by itself and never becomes a chronic problem.

Some people with acute hepatitis B don't have any symptoms and don't need treatment. Others have mild symptoms that might feel like the flu. When symptoms happen, they usually last a few weeks — though they can last longer. It’s also possible for people with acute hepatitis B to get very sick and need to go to the hospital.

Children under age 6 who get acute hepatitis B are at high risk for developing chronic hepatitis. That's why the hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all babies.

Chronic hepatitis B

Some people who get acute hepatitis B develop a chronic hepatitis B infection. This means the infection will never go away. People with chronic hepatitis B may need to take medicine to help stop the virus from causing liver damage.

Take Action

Get the Vaccine

Take these steps to help protect yourself and your family from hepatitis B.

Get the hepatitis B vaccine.

If you haven’t gotten the hepatitis B vaccine and you think you might be at risk, talk with your doctor or nurse about getting vaccinated.

Use this locator tool to find a health center where you can get the hepatitis B vaccine.

Keep in mind that if you’ve had hepatitis B in the past and recovered, you don’t need to get the vaccine.

Does my child need the hepatitis B vaccine?

Yes. The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all babies. It’s usually given as a series of 3 or 4 shots, starting at birth.

The hepatitis B vaccine is also recommended for children and teens who didn’t get the shots as babies. Read more about getting your child’s vaccines on schedule.

Cost and Insurance

What about cost?

Under the Affordable Care Act, health insurance plans must cover hepatitis B testing for:

• All pregnant women at their first prenatal visit
• Teens and adults who are at high risk

Plans must also cover the hepatitis B vaccine for:

• All children
• Some adults, depending on their risk

If you have Medicare or private insurance, check to find out what’s included in your plan.

If you don’t have insurance, you still may be able to get free or low-cost services. You can:

• Call your state health department to find a free or low-cost vaccination program
• Find a health center near you

For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.

Get Tested

Get tested for hepatitis B if you're at risk.

Several things can raise your risk for hepatitis B. For example, you're at risk if you:

• Were born in a place where hepatitis B is common, like certain countries in Asia, South America, Africa, the Middle East, or the Caribbean
• Have parents who were born in a place where hepatitis B is common
• Use drugs with needles
• Live with or have sex with someone who has hepatitis B
• Are a man who has sex with men
• Are taking medicine that weakens your immune system
• Have been in jail or prison

You’re also at risk if you have certain health conditions. For example:

• HIV
• Hepatitis C
• Kidney failure
• Chronic liver disease

Travel Safely

Travel smart.

Hepatitis B is very common in some parts of the world. If you're planning a trip to an area where lots of people have hepatitis B, follow some basic steps for safe travel:

• See your doctor before your trip — ask if you need the hepatitis B vaccine or any other vaccines
• Use this tool to find out about health issues that are common in other countries
• Get more tips on staying healthy when you travel

CDC now recommends hepatitis C testing for all adults.

Hepatitis C is increasing dramatically in the United States, particularly among younger adults, and 4 in 10 people don’t even know they have it. Hepatitis C is usually spread through blood, often from injection drug use. Less commonly, hepatitis C is spread through sex or from an infected mother to her infant during pregnancy or childbirth. An acute infection develops when someone is first infected. Some people clear the virus, but most people with acute hepatitis C will develop a long-term (chronic) infection. Left untreated, chronic hepatitis C can cause severe liver damage, liver cancer, and even death. But hepatitis C is curable. The first step to being cured is getting a hepatitis C blood test. CDC now recommends testing:

• Every adult at least once
• Pregnant women during every pregnancy
• Everyone with ongoing risk factors regularly

New Reports of Chronic Hepatitis C High in Multiple Generations

Multiple generations are at riskfor hepatitis C.

• The percent of newly reported chronic infections in 2018 was equal among Baby Boomers (born 1945–1965) and Millennials (born 1981–1996), both around 36%, while Generation X (born 1966–1980) made up 23%.
• Increasing rates of acute hepatitis C among people of reproductive age are putting even younger generations at risk.

Get tested. Get cured.

• CDC now recommends one-time screening of all adults 18 years and older and screening all pregnant women during every pregnancy.
• People with risk factors, including people who inject drugs, should be tested regularly.
• All people with hepatitis C should be provided access to care and treatment.

Everyone ages 18 to 79 needs to get tested for hepatitis C at least once. Hepatitis C is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The most common way to get hepatitis C is by coming into contact with the blood of someone who has it. In the United States, people usually get hepatitis C by sharing needles.

Many people who have hepatitis C live for years without feeling sick. But the virus can still damage your liver — even when it’s not causing any symptoms. You could also spread the virus to others without knowing it. 

The only way to know for sure if you have hepatitis C is to get a blood test. Medicine can cure most cases of hepatitis C.

What about cost?

Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance plans must cover hepatitis C testing for certain groups. That means you may be able to get tested at no cost to you. Talk to your insurance company to find out more.

What do I ask the doctor?

When you visit the doctor, it helps to have questions written down ahead of time. You can also ask a family member or friend to go with you to take notes.

Print this list of questions and take it to your next appointment.

• Do I need to get tested for hepatitis C?
• What puts me at risk for hepatitis C?
• How will you test me for hepatitis C?
• How long will it take to get my test results?
• How will I find out my test results?
• If I have hepatitis C, what will happen next?
• Can you give me some information about hepatitis C to take home with me?