Hepatitis B — what you need to know right now

Hepatitis B (HBV) is a virus that attacks the liver. It can cause short-term illness or turn into a long-term infection that quietly damages your liver over years. The good news: you can test for it, there’s an effective vaccine, and modern treatments keep most people healthy. Read on for the practical stuff you’ll actually use.

Symptoms & testing

Many people with hepatitis B have no symptoms at first. When symptoms do show, they often include tiredness, loss of appetite, stomach pain, dark urine, or yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice). If you have any of these, get tested.

Common tests: HBsAg (tells if you currently have the virus), anti-HBs (shows immunity), and HBV DNA (measures how much virus is in your blood). Your doctor may also order liver function tests to check liver health. Ask for all three if you think you were exposed, if you’re pregnant, or if you come from a place where HBV is common.

How it spreads and who should worry

HBV spreads through blood and certain body fluids. That includes sex without a condom, sharing needles, or from mother to baby during birth. Casual contact like hugging, coughing, or sharing utensils does not spread HBV. If you’ve had a needlestick injury, unprotected sex with a partner who has HBV, or were born in a high-risk country, talk to your provider about testing and vaccination.

People who should get tested: anyone with current or past risky exposure, pregnant people, household contacts of someone with HBV, and people with abnormal liver tests. Testing is quick and often covered by insurance or public health clinics.

Prevention and treatment

The hepatitis B vaccine is the best prevention. It’s given in a series of shots and creates strong, long-lasting protection for most people. Babies usually get it at birth, and unvaccinated adults can get the series later. If you were exposed recently, there’s a window where a shot plus immune globulin can prevent infection—talk to a clinician right away.

Treatment for chronic hepatitis B aims to stop liver damage. Antiviral drugs like tenofovir or entecavir lower viral levels and reduce the risk of cirrhosis or liver cancer. Not everyone with chronic HBV needs medicine immediately—doctors decide based on viral load, liver tests, and scans. Regular follow-up matters.

Living with HBV means monitoring your liver, avoiding heavy alcohol, and staying up to date on vaccination for close contacts. If you have HBV and plan pregnancy, talk to a specialist—treatment and steps at birth can protect the baby.

Questions about testing, vaccine timing, or treatments? Reach out to your healthcare provider or a local clinic. HBV is manageable when you know what to do.