Hepatitis:
Fast Facts
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that can be caused by a group of viruses—hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. When hepatitis viruses damage liver cells, scar tissue is formed and those cells can no longer function. With fewer healthy liver cells, the body begins to show symptoms ranging from mild (such as fatigue) to more severe symptoms (such as mental confusion).
Although many cases of hepatitis are not a serious threat to health, the disease can sometimes become chronic (long-lasting) and may lead to liver failure and death. In many cases, though, viral hepatitis is a self-resolving illness—meaning it goes away on its own.
Sexual activity poses a different level of risk for each type of viral hepatitis, but is most closely associated with hepatitis B. Blood transfusion, IV needle sharing, and organ transplants can also transmit hepatitis.
Click on the hepatitis types below to learn more.
There is no cure for hepatitis A. Most people with severe infection will experience short-term illness and then recover completely. They are often told to rest for a few weeks and to avoid intimate contact with others. Once recovered, an individual is immune and will not get hepatitis A again.
Fortunately, complications from hepatitis A are rare, and few deaths result from it. It is not known to cause chronic infections. However, it can make some people very sick, and it is easily preventable through vaccination.
Hepatitis B virus is passed on through contact with infected body fluids such as semen, vaginal secretions, and blood. It is most often transmitted through sexual contact but can also be contracted when injecting drug users share needles and other injecting equipment. Mothers with hepatitis B can also pass the virus to their infants during birth.
Hepatitis B is not spread through food, water, sharing utensils, hugging, kissing, or by casual contact.
Hepatitis B can be experienced as an acute infection causing mild illness for a few weeks or months or as a more serious chronic infection lasting a lifetime. People with an acute infection often have few or no symptoms and will clear the virus on their own without treatment. Once a person has cleared the infection, they can’t be infected with hepatitis B again.
Chronic hepatitis B infection can cause complications such as cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and even lead to liver cancer.
Hepatitis B is diagnosed by a blood test that detects hepatitis B antibodies in the blood. Blood tests can determine whether a person has acute or chronic hepatitis.
The good news is that hepatitis B is preventable through vaccination. A person can choose to be vaccinated and no longer have to worry about being infected with hepatitis B.
Other ways to prevent hepatitis B infection include using condoms and barrier methods during oral, anal and vaginal sex, and avoiding contact with infected blood or other body fluids directly or on objects such as needles, razors, or toothbrushes. The hepatitis B virus can survive outside the body for at least 7 days and is still infectious during that time. Any surfaces contaminated with blood should be cleaned with a solution of 1 part household bleach and 10 parts water.
Hepatitis C is primarily transmitted by direct contact with blood. The most common way currently is through sharing of needles or other injecting equipment during intravenous drug use that have not been properly cleaned between users.
While not common, hepatitis C can be spread through vaginal or anal sex. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), having an STI or HIV, having sex with multiple partners, or rough sex appears to increase a person’s risk for hepatitis C. But again, sexual transmission of hepatitis C is not common.
CDC now recommends one-time hepatitis C testing of all adults (18 years and older) and all pregnant women during every pregnancy.
Hepatitis D is a viral infection of the liver that can only be acquired if a person has active hepatitis B. Hepatitis D is linked directly to hepatitis B, particularly to chronic hepatitis B infection. Vaccination against hepatitis B can protect people from hepatitis D infection.
Hepatitis E is primarily transmitted by contaminated drinking water and is not thought to be sexually transmitted.
About 1.6 million cases of chlamydia and 600,000 cases of gonorrhea are diagnosed in the United Sates each year. A new study suggests that these patients may not be following through with STI treatment or getting the right antibiotics.
A clinical trial of a new antibiotic found that it works just as well as a current drug regimen for treating gonorrhea infections. This is important because the bacteria that causes gonorrhea has become resistant to most existing antibiotics.
You have probably heard that HPV can cause cervical cancer. But did you know that it can also cause cancers of the mouth, tongue, and throat?
There’s new research to suggest that the birth control pill can protect female athletes from ACL tears which is one of the most common knee injuries. While this may sound far-fetched, the science behind it is very interesting.
The FDA just approved a new, fully at-home test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. The tests, which is only for women, will be available without a prescription. Users can collect their own sample and have results in less than 30 minutes.
A new study of more than 200,000 women found that women who had ever taken the pill had a 26% lower risk of ovarian cancer.
Does your child feel it’s okay to talk with you about sex and sexual health? If not, have you thought about who will answer your child’s questions? Only you can tell your child that it’s okay to ask you questions. You want to become askable!
Many methods of birth control that are available today rely on hormones like those that our bodies make naturally. Hormonal methods come in many different forms—from pills to patches to shots—but all of them essentially work the same way.
ASHA believes that all people have the right to the information and services that will help them to have optimum sexual health. We envision a time when stigma is no longer associated with sexual health and our nation is united in its belief that sexuality is a normal, healthy, and positive aspect of human life.
ABOUT
GET INVOLVED
ASHA WEBSITES
GET HELP
© 2025 American Sexual Health Association