Hepatitis B is caused by the virus HBV. It is spread by contact with an infected person's blood, semen, or other body fluid. And, it is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). You can get hepatitis B by:
• Having unprotected sex (not using a condom) with an infected person.
• Sharing drug needles (for illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine or legal drugs like vitamins and steroids).
• Getting a tattoo or body piercing with dirty (unsterile) needles and tools that were used on someone else.
• Getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it (health care workers can get hepatitis B this way).
• Sharing a toothbrush, razor, or other personal items with an infected person.
• An infected woman can give hepatitis B to her baby at birth or through her breast milk.
• Through a bite from another person.
With hepatitis B, the liver also swells. Hepatitis B can be a serious infection that can cause liver damage, which may result in cancer. Some people are not able to get rid of the virus, which makes the infection chronic, or life long. Blood banks test all donated blood for hepatitis B, greatly reducing the risk for getting the virus from blood transfusions or blood products.
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