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Hepatitis A is a viral infection which affects the liver. It can be passed on in various ways including sexually from some sex acts.
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver and is caused by the hepatitis B virus which can be passed on sexually.
Hepatitis A is a type of viral infection which affects the liver. It can be passed on in various ways including sexually from some sex acts and as such can be considered a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Transmission of hepatitis A happens by an orofaecal route. Simply put, this means getting the faeces (shit) of an infected person into your mouth.
The most common cause of hepatitis A is eating food contaminated with faeces of an infected person as a result of poor personal hygiene or by drinking contaminated water (eg in places where there is poor sanitation).
Hepatitis A could also be acquired by getting small amounts of faeces in your mouth through sex acts such as rimming for example.
You can be vaccinated against hepatitis A which involves having two injections 6 months apart. You can get this vaccination at our nurse led sexual health clinics or at GP and travel clinics. It is recommended that men who have sex with other men get vaccinated, as well as people travelling to countries where hepatitis A is more prevalent and where sanitation may be poorer than in the UK.
Symptoms can appear two to six weeks after infection and may include headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, joint and muscle pains and tiredness. After a while your skin and eyes may become jaundiced (turn yellow), and you may notice that your shit becomes paler and your wee darker, though not everyone gets such severe symptoms.
Hepatitis A is tested by taking a blood sample and can be tested for at our nurse led sexual health clinics. You can also ask your GP.
The only way of treating hepatitis A is based on making you feel as comfortable as possible until the infection passes. This means getting plenty of rest, a low-protein and high-carbohydrate diet, and avoiding fatty foods and alcohol. The illness generally clears up by itself within one to three months, causing no lasting damage. Once you have had hepatitis A you will be immune to catching it in the future.
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver and is caused by the Hepatitis B virus which can be passed on sexually.
Hepatitis B can be passed on through unprotected anal, vaginal or oral sex (sex without a condom). It is much more infectious than hepatitis A, hepatitis C or HIV.
Hepatitis B virus is found in the blood, cum, vaginal fluids, wee, spit and faeces (shit), as well as other body fluids of a person who is infected. The virus can be spread through unprotected sex, or by getting blood or other infected body fluids in the mouth, eyes, or broken skin. It can also be passed on by sharing needles or snorting straws if you take drugs in this way.
You can be vaccinated against hepatitis B. The best best way to prevent infection is by getting vaccinated. The vaccine is available from our nurse led sexual health clinics and involves having a short course of injections.
Using condoms, femidoms, gloves and dams can prevent catching hepatitis B infection through having sex.
Not everyone who gets infected with hepatitis B will show symptoms. Any symptoms that may appear could be one to six months after exposure to the hepatitis virus and infection can persist for several years and silently cause severe liver damage. Many people with hepatitis B may not even realise that they are infected.
If you do become infected with hepatitis B you may have some symptoms after the initial infection. These symptoms are similar to that of flu – feeling sick and vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, jaundice (yellow skin and whites of eyes) and dark wee, pale faeces (shit) or itchy skin.
Testing for hepatitis B is done by taking a blood sample.
You can get tested for hepatitis B (and other STI’s) 7 days a week with our sexual health services at Birmingham LGBT.
Call us on 0121 643 0821
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If you have chronic or acute hepatitis B you will be referred to a specialist for further assessment and/or treatment. Not everyone needs treatment immediately. People who have chronic (more than 6 months) hepatitis B infection should see a specialist and have blood tests and a liver scan done, which will determine when treatment may start. Treatment for hepatitis B may involve injections, but most often people are treated with antiviral medication. Anyone with chronic hepatitis should avoid alcohol.
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