Why is hepatitis B so dangerous?
Hepatitis B is dangerous because it is a “silent infection,” which means it can infect people without them knowing it. Most people who are infected with hepatitis B are unaware of their infection for many years and can unknowingly spread the virus to others through direct contact with their infected blood and sexually. Please visit this page to learn more about hepatitis B transmission and how to protect your family. For those who become chronically infected, there is an increased risk of developing serious liver disease later in life. The virus can quietly and continuously attack the liver over many years without being detected because there are often few or no notable symptoms. The only way to confirm a hepatitis B infection is through a blood test. Visit this page and learn more about testing for hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B may feature typical viral hepatitis symptoms like yellow skin, yellow eye-white “sclera” and dark urine. Alternatively, it may occur unnoticed with subtle fatigue and/ or muscle pain. This is why it is often missed.
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Page updated 05/09/2022