Wanem hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B e name blo one virus and the name all e give em por the sickness e cause.

Hepatitis B meke your liver sick. Drinking too mus grog can cause e this one; so can drugs, some chemicals and other viruses.

Your liver is nuther kine important por youpla health. When em e damage, em may not work proppa and e can meke you feel nu good.

Hepatitis B e sometimes callem “hep B”.


How do I get hepatitis B?


Hepatitis B e passed on when blood or sexual fluids blo someone who gud Hepatitis B gets into youpla bloodstream. Youpla can gede hepatitis B even if the amount of blood or sexual fluid mina small to see.

For babies and young children

  • a mother with hepatitis B can give the sickness to em baby when em born if the baby is not vaccinated quickly
  • a child with hepatitis B can give em to nuther child who nor bin vaccinated, through uncovered cuts and sores

For adults

Youpla can gede hepatitis B from:

  • nunu, din or oral sex without a condom
  • sharing needles, syringes or other injecting equipment including teaspoons
  • tattooing or body piercing with unclean equipment
  • sharing toothbrushes, razors, or nail files
  • an accident with a needle or splashing of infected blood

Youpla cannot gede hepatitis B from:

  • hugging
  • kissing
  • sharing kaikai and eating utensils
  • eating food prepared by someone who gud hepatitis B
  • insect or animal bites
  • sweat
  • washing clothes
  • sneezing or coughing
  • sharing bathrooms or toilets
  • swimming pools

How I gor sabe if I gud hepatitis B?


Most people have no signs or symptoms and don’t feel sick. The only way youpla gor sabe is to teke a blood test.

When youpla first get hepatitis B you might have:

  • vomiting
  • fever
  • no desire to kaikai
  • dark pee pee
  • liver pain (under the bera on the right)
  • pain in the joints
  • yellow eyes and skin (jaundice)

Wanem hepatitis B do to my body?


Hepatitis B gets into cells in youpla liver and mekem sick. The body works hard to fighte the virus in the liver. This fight hurts the liver and, over many years, can stapeh the liver prom working.

In most adults, the body gets rid of the hepatitis B within 6 months of catching it, and youpla cannot get it again.

But in young children and some adults, sometimes the body can’t fight it off, and hepatitis B stays in thempla body for life. This one e called ‘chronic hepatitis B’ and e can cause liver damage, liver scarring (cirrhosis) and liver cancer. Medicines can reduce liver damage and prevent liver cancer.

Wanem should I mekem if I gud hepatitis B?


Youpla MUST see youpla doctor every six to twelve months, even if youpla feel good. This one because hepatitis B nor meke youpla feel sick. If youpla feel sick it’s because e already gud liver damage.

As well all blood tests, youpla doctor may do a Fibroscan®. A Fibroscan® is a liver scan that tells youpla doctor if there is liver damage or scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and how nu good it is. The doctor will then decide if youpla need medicine or need to go to a liver clinic or see a special liver doctor.

Can hepatitis B be treated or cured?


Wa, hepatitis B can be treated.

But not all people with hepatitis B need medicine. Your doctor will tell you if youpla need medicine.

Medicine won’t cure hepatitis B. But e can control damage to youpla liver, lower the chance of getting liver cancer and help the liver repair itself.

Yarn por youpla doctor about which medicine e best for youpla.

How can I help my liver?


  • drink less alcohol or none
  • eat a balanced, healthy diet, and nor too much fat
  • stop or cut down smoking
  • exercise regularly
  • manage youpla stress and get support
  • tell youpla doctor if you are taking any medicines like herbal medicines, vitamins, or Chinese medicines. Some of these can hurt the liver, especially if taken in high doses or for a long time
  • protect yourself from other infections because they can severely affect youpla health and cause more liver damage:
    • get vaccinated for hepatitis A
    • nor share needles or teaspoons to inject drugs
    • use condoms

How can I avoid getting hepatitis B or giving it to someone?


Vaccination

Vaccination is the best way to stap e hepatitis B from spreading.

It is very safe and protects youpla more than 95% of the time.

Youpla get 2 or 3 injections over 6 months, depending on youpla age.

In Australia, all babies under 1 get 4 free injections over 6 months. Vaccination is recommended for children aged 10 to 13 who did not get injections as a baby.

If a mother gud hepatitis B the baby will have an extra injection within twelve hours of being born. This gives the baby the best protection. When babies are 9 months old, they need to be tested to make sure they are immune to hepatitis B.

To avoid giving hepatitis B to someone:

  • make sure the people youpla have close contact with are vaccinated
  • use condoms
  • nor share youpla toothbrushes, razors or other personal things that may have blood on them, including dry blood
  • nor let all other marn touch youpla open wounds unless they have gloves on
  • nor share needles, syringes or other drug injecting equipment
  • nor blood, sperm, organs or body tissue

talk to youpla doctor about the vaccinations youpla baby will need if you pamle or want to have a baby

Who should I spik if I gud hepatitis B?


  • Youpla should tell youpla family, people youpla live with and youpla sexual partner (or partners) so they can be tested and vaccinated. Youpla doctor can help you meke this one.
  • If youpla wande join the Australian Defence Force, youpla must tell
  • Youpla must tell youpla insurance company. If you don’t, they might not pay youpla money if you get sick or
  • If youpla a health care worker who does medical procedures where you cannot see youpla hands (waseh surgeon or dentist), youpla must tell your employer or supervisor and get advice from a specialist

Youpla do not have to tell your boss, people youpla work or study with or youpla friends.

 

Telling people like youpla dentist or doctor will help them give youpla the best medical care, but this one e choice blo you. If youpla decide to tell thempla, all can’t spik anyone else.

Youpla may want to talk to other people who can understand and support you. Teke your time to decide who youpla think you can trust.

Where can gor for gede help and advice?


E gud many hepatitis B community groups in Australia that can give youpla advice and help youpla.


Get support from the hepatitis community

More information