Hepatitis B:
A virus-induced liver disease that infects approximately 200,000 Americans each year. The hepatitis B virus is found in blood, semen, vaginal secretions and saliva. This highly contagious virus is spread through sexual contact, sharing contaminated drug needles, blood transfusions, and piercing the skin with contaminated instruments. Many people with hepatitis B have no symptoms; others experience fever, headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Hepatitis B may damage the liver, putting people at risk for cirrhosis and liver cancer. Most infections clear up by themselves within four to eight weeks. Some individuals (about 10% of the cases), however, become chronically infected. Hepatitis B is the only STD for which there is a vaccine. Although many public health officials recommend the vaccine for children, adolescents and young adults, it is not widely administered, due in part to the stigmatization of STDs and the cost of the three-part vaccine. Form information about Hepatitis B, call the CDC National STD and AIDS Hotlines at 800-227-8922. For more information about vaccinations, please call the CDC National Immunization Information Hotline at 800-232-2522 (English) or 800-232-0233 (Spanish).
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