No. Hepatitis B doesn't spread through touching or saliva. You can only get hepatitis B from blood or sexual fluids.

Most people get hepatitis B at birth or in early childhood. You can also get hepatitis B if you have sex without a condom, share injecting drug equipment or have an unsafe medical procedure.

No. Hepatitis B does not spread through touching or saliva. You can only get hepatitis B from infected blood or sexual fluids.

Most people get hepatitis B at birth or in early childhood. You can also get hepatitis B if you have sex without a condom, share injecting drug equipment or have an unsafe medical procedure.

Yes. Although most people get hepatitis B at birth, sex is one of the other ways it spreads. Hepatitis B spreads through blood, semen and vaginal fluids. This means it can spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom.

You can protect yourself against hepatitis B by using a condom. But the best way to protect yourself is by getting a vaccine.

Hepatitis B can't spread through normal hugging, kissing or sharing meals, showers or toilets with someone who has hepatitis B.

Most of the time it is your choice whether or not to tell people if you have hepatitis B. You don't have to tell doctors, dentists, or people who work in tattoo and piercing parlours. This is because these places have rules in place to stop the spread of viruses.

If you need help to find a doctor to manage your hepatitis B, you can contact HepLink. It is important that you get liver checks every 6-12 months.

It's a good idea to tell your partner, family and people you live with. This means they can get tested for hepatitis B. If they don't have hepatitis B, they can protect themselves by getting a vaccine.

Sometimes you must tell people that you have hepatitis B. You must tell people:

• before giving blood. You can't give blood if you have chronic hepatitis B. If you no longer have hepatitis B you need to wait at least 12 months after clearing it. Let the blood bank know.
• when applying for insurance. This could be for life insurance and some other types. This is because your health might change whether or not they decide to insure you.
• members of the Australian Defence Force, including Navy, Army and Air Forces. If you apply to join the Australian Defence Force you will get tested for hepatitis B.
• if you are a healthcare worker who carries out exposure-prone procedures (EPPs). These are healthcare workers who could come into contact with sharp instruments or tissues (such as splinters of bone or teeth) inside a person’s body. Most often this applies to surgeons and dentists and some other specialists. Most healthcare workers do not do EPPs. You can get more information about this on the Department of Health website.
• when applying for a visa to live in Australia. Everything you say in your application form must be true. Sometimes you may need to have a hepatitis B test if you are applying to live in Australia.
• if you wish to donate organs or sperm. They will test you for hepatitis B before you can donate organs or sperm. Some people with hepatitis B can still donate but others can't. 

For more information about telling people, you can visit this page or contact HepLink

Most people living with hepatitis B can migrate to Australia. You can find out more about this on the page Hepatitis B and Migration

No. There is no cure for hepatitis B. But you can manage your hepatitis B. If you have chronic hepatitis B, it is very important that you see your doctor every 6 to 12 months. The doctor will check the health of your liver.

Some people need to take medicine for hepatitis B to manage the virus.

Experts are looking at new ways to treat hepatitis B. This may lead to a cure in the future. 

Yes, you should get your liver checked every 6 to 12 months. Even if you feel fine, hepatitis B can still damage your liver. If you wait until you feel sick, you might already have liver damage that can't be fixed. The only way to know this is to keep getting your liver checked. If the virus starts causing damage to your liver, you may need to take medicine. This can slow down the damage.

Yes, the most common way people get hepatitis B is through birth. Hepatitis B does not spread through breast milk.

There are ways to stop hepatitis B from being passed on from mother to child. When the baby is born, they should get two injections. It is best if your baby has these 12 hours after they are born.

One injection contains immunoglobulin (HBIG). This vaccine is only given to babies whose mothers have hepatitis B. This injection has antibodies that help the body fight the virus. It provides very quick, short-term protection.

The other injection is baby’s first hepatitis B vaccine. This is called the Birth Dose vaccine. All babies get this vaccine, even if their mother doesn’t have hepatitis B. They'll also get 3 more hepatitis B vaccines over the next 6 months. Together this can protect the baby against the virus.

Some women have a high level of the virus in their body while they are pregnant. This means they are more likely to pass it on to their baby. You can take a test for this. If you have a high level of hepatitis B (sometimes called viral load), your doctor can give you medicine (also called antiviral therapy). The medicine will make it less likely that you pass the virus onto your baby. It is safe to take while you are pregnant.

Yes. It's your choice who you tell that you have hepatitis B. It's a good idea to tell your partner, family and the people you live with. This means they can get tested. If they have never had hepatitis B they can protect themselves by getting the vaccine.

If you are worried about telling them, you can talk to your doctor or contact HepLink.

Yes. To make sure it is safe, your baby should get two injections when they are born.

Your baby has these injections within the first 12 hours. One injection contains immunoglobulin. These are antibodies that help the body fight the virus. The other injection is baby's first hepatitis B vaccine. All babies get this vaccine, even if their mother doesn't have hepatitis B. They'll also get hepatitis B vaccines over the next 6 months.

Once your baby has received their immunoglobulin injection it is safe to breastfeed.