Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are different types of viruses that damage your liver. They both spread through blood. But people get these two types of viruses in different ways. The treatment for them varies too.

Hepatitis B spreads through blood and some 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 or have unsafe medical procedures. There is a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B, but there is no cure. Some people living with chronic hepatitis B may need to take medicine, which works well to protect their liver from damage.

Hepatitis C  is transmitted by blood to blood contact. Mostly this happens from sharing needles, syringes or other injecting equipment. You could also get it from tattooing or body piercing with unsterile equipment (e.g. backyard tattoos or tattoos done in some overseas places), from medical procedures with unsterile equipment, from sharing toothbrushes, razors or nail , or anal sex without a condom. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. But there is a cure that works well for most people.

Both hepatitis B and hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver disease and liver cancer.

Yes. There are vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B. They can protect your liver from another infection that could damage it.

Getting the hepatitis A vaccine is safe if you have hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

Getting the hepatitis B vaccine is safe if you have hepatitis C.

Testing for hepatitis B and hepatitis C is not a part of normal blood tests. Most of the time you'll have to ask your doctor to include hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

There are two exceptions to this:

• Most pregnant women in Australia get tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C as part of standard pregnancy checks
• If you give blood to the blood bank, they will test it for hepatitis B and hepatitis C. They'll tell you if you have come into contact with either virus.