What is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis is the illness of the liver. The term hepatitis came from the word hepar (liver) and titis (illness). It is caused by many factors such as drugs, alcohol, chemicals or infected virus. There are several types of virus which can infect the liver and causes hepatitis. The severity of hepatitis depends on the agent which causes the illness and the period it is exposed to the agent which causes the liver to be attacked.
Hepatitis is the illness of the liver. The term hepatitis came from the word hepar (liver) and titis (illness). It is caused by many factors such as drugs, alcohol, chemicals or infected virus. There are several types of virus which can infect the liver and causes hepatitis. The severity of hepatitis depends on the agent which causes the illness and the period it is exposed to the agent which causes the liver to be attacked.
What causes Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is caused by a virus. A virus is a germ that causes sickness. (For example, the flu is caused by a virus.) People can pas viruses to each other. The virus that causes hepatitis B is called the hepatitis B virus.
How caould I get Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B spreads by contact with an infected person's blood, semen, or other body fluid.
You could get hepatitis B by:
~having sex with an infected person without without using a condom
~sharing drug needles
~having a tattoo or body piercing done with dirty tools that were used on someone else
~getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it (health care workers can get hepatitis B this way)
~living with someone who has hepatitis B
~sharing a toothbrush or razor with an infected person
~travelling to countries where hepatitis B is common
~An infected woman can give hepatitis B to her baby at birth
~having sex with an infected person without without using a condom
~sharing drug needles
~having a tattoo or body piercing done with dirty tools that were used on someone else
~getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it (health care workers can get hepatitis B this way)
~living with someone who has hepatitis B
~sharing a toothbrush or razor with an infected person
~travelling to countries where hepatitis B is common
~An infected woman can give hepatitis B to her baby at birth
You can not get hepatitis B by:
~shaking hands with an infected person
~hugging an infected person
~siting next to infected person
What are the symptoms?
Hepatitis B can make you feel like you have the flu
~You might
~feel tired
~feel sick to your stomach
~have a fever
~no appetite to eat
~have stomach pain
~haev diarrhea
Hepatitis B can make you feel like you have the flu
~You might
~feel tired
~feel sick to your stomach
~have a fever
~no appetite to eat
~have stomach pain
~haev diarrhea
Some people have
~dark yellow urine
~light colored stools
~yellowish eyes and skin
If you have symptoms or think you might have hepatitis B, go to a doctor
