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3 ways Hepatitis B spreads that many people do not realize
30th July, 2026 08:16 PM
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus. The infection can be acute, short- and/or severe- or chronic, long-term.
Hepatitis B can cause a chronic infection and puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
It can spread through contact with infected body fluids like blood, vaginal fluids, semen and saliva in the presence of open cuts and sores. It can also be passed from a mother to her baby.
According to the WHO, Hepatitis B can be prevented with a safe and effective vaccine. The vaccine is usually given soon after birth with boosters a few weeks later. It offers nearly 100% protection against the virus.
“Hepatitis B is a major global health problem. The burden of infection is highest in the WHO Western Pacific Region and the WHO African Region, where 102 million and 64 million people, respectively, are chronically infected,” the WHO states.
1. Sharing personal grooming items
Many families share items such as razors, nail clippers, tweezers, or toothbrushes without thinking twice. These objects can carry tiny amounts of blood, even when no blood is visible to the naked eye.
If a person living with Hepatitis B has a small cut or bleeding gum and another person uses the same item, the virus can potentially be transmitted. This is why health professionals recommend that personal grooming items should never be shared, even among close family members.
2. From mother to baby during childbirth
One of the most common causes of chronic Hepatitis B worldwide is mother-to-child transmission. A pregnant woman may feel completely healthy and still carry the virus.
During labour and delivery, the baby can be exposed to infected blood and body fluids. Without proper medical intervention, the newborn has a high risk of developing chronic Hepatitis B, which can remain in the body for life.
The good news is that this type of transmission can often be prevented through antenatal screening and timely vaccination of the newborn, including the birth-dose Hepatitis B vaccine recommended by health authorities.
3. Unsterilised sharp instruments
People often think only hospital needles are a concern, but hepatitis B can also spread through unsterilised sharp instruments used in other settings.
Prevention
Hepatitis B is preventable with a vaccine.
All babies should receive the hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth (within 24 hours). This is followed by two or three doses of hepatitis B vaccine at least four weeks apart.
Booster vaccines are not usually required for people who have completed the three-dose vaccination series.
The vaccine protects against hepatitis B for at least 20 years and probably for life.
Hepatitis B can be passed from mother to child. This can be prevented by taking antiviral medicines to prevent transmission, in addition to the vaccine shortly after birth.
To reduce the risk of getting or spreading hepatitis B, WHO advises the importance of practising safe sex by using condoms and avoiding sharing needles or any equipment used for injecting drugs, piercing, or tattooing.
At the same time, members wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after coming into contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces and get a hepatitis B vaccine if working in a health-care setting.
