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.
On a recent episode of Love Island, a cast member sugested that we could blame our current STI epidemic on men who had sex with animals. She pointed to koalas with chlamydia as an example. There’s some truth here, but also a lot of misinformation.
New Report Highlights Missed Opportunities for Congenital Syphilis Prevention Congenital syphilis occurs when a pregnant patient with syphilis passed the infection on to their baby. It can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and even infant death. Babies born with syphilis can face lifelong medical issues. The good
Currently, condoms are the only widely available, proven method for reducing transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during sex. Condoms work.
Anal sex may have once been thought of more taboo than other sexual behaviors, but today we know it’s a perfectly normal way to find sexual pleasure.
It’s time to celebrate the start of summer! June is filled with national observances to help you start the summer off right. We’re here to help make June the start of a #safesexysummer.
There’s potential good news in gonorrhea prevention as a series of studies suggests that certain meningococcal B (MenB) vaccines can reduce the risk of gonorrhea.
There is new guidance on pain management for IUD insertion and acknowledgement that providers often underestimate the pain patients feel during their procedures.
The FDA just approved the Teal Wand, a self-collection device for HPV testing that does not require a speculum exam or even a trip to the doctor’s office. People can collect their own sample at home and send it to a lab for analysis.
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