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Liver Wellness: Information about Viral Hepatitis

This booklet is about viral hepatitis, an infection in the liver caused by a hepatitis virus such as the hepatitis A, B, C or D virus. The booklet focuses on the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses because they affect liver wellness in people living in Canada more than the other hepatitis viruses. Keep reading to learn more about how to protect your health and the health of your loved ones!

What are hepatitis B and hepatitis C? How do they affect liver wellness?

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are viruses that attack the liver. If left untreated, they can injure the liver over time. This can lead to serious health problems such as liver failure, liver cancer and early death. 

It is possible to have hepatitis B or hepatitis C, or both at the same time.

People who come from countries where hepatitis B and hepatitis C are common may be more likely to have hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C.

About the liver

You can’t live without your liver. It helps the body fight infections, break down toxins like alcohol and drugs, digest food, and more. An injured liver has a harder time doing these important functions.

What are the differences between hepatitis B and hepatitis C?

Although these two viruses have some similarities, they are not the same. Here are the main differences: 

 Hepatitis BHepatitis C 
TransmissionHepatitis B is passed through bodily fluids such as blood, semen or vaginal fluid. The virus is passed when one of these bodily fluids from a person with hepatitis B enters another person’s body. Hepatitis C is passed when blood from a person with hepatitis C enters another person’s body.
VaccinationThere’s a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B infection. There’s no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C infection.
Chronic infectionA person has chronic hepatitis B if they don’t clear the virus within six months. Most adults who get hepatitis B can clear the virus on their own without needing treatment. Babies and children who get hepatitis B are more likely than adults to develop a chronic infection. A person has chronic hepatitis C if they don’t clear the virus within six months. About one in four people who get hepatitis C clear the virus on their own. 
Treatment

Hepatitis B treatment is available to control the virus. With proper care, people with chronic hepatitis B can live long and healthy lives. 

 

Hepatitis C is curable. There is highly effective treatment that cures over 95% of people in one course of treatment. 
ImmunityOnce someone has received a complete series of the hepatitis B vaccine or cleared the virus on their own, they are immune. This means they cannot get hepatitis B.No one is immune to hepatitis C. Even after being cured or clearing the virus, you can get reinfected with hepatitis C if you come into contact with the virus again.

How can hepatitis B and hepatitis C be passed?

In Canada, the most common ways people get these viruses are through:

  • sharing drug use equipment
  • having condomless sex — the risk is low for hepatitis C, but it’s higher in certain populations, including among some men who have sex with men

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can also be passed: 

  • through reusing unsterilized tattooing or body piercing equipment 
  • from a pregnant parent to a child during pregnancy (only for hepatitis C) or childbirth 
  • through sharing personal care items between household members such as razors, nail clippers and toothbrushes 

In Canada, people no longer get hepatitis B or C through donated blood or tissue. Testing on donated blood and tissue began in 1972 for hepatitis B and 1990 for hepatitis C. 

How hepatitis B and C can be passed outside of Canada 

People from countries where hepatitis B and hepatitis C are common may have been exposed to the viruses in ways that are different from the ways they are passed in Canada. In some other countries, the viruses can be passed through unsafe medical or traditional healing practices, such as: 

  • getting donated blood or tissue in countries where the blood supply is not tested adequately for hepatitis B and hepatitis C
  • through the reuse of medical, dental or surgical equipment in countries where this equipment is not properly sterilized
  • through traditional healing practices, such as wet cupping and acupuncture, that cut or pierce the skin, if equipment is reused or not properly sterilized

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C cannot be passed by shaking hands, touching, hugging or sharing meals with someone who has the virus.

How do I know if I have hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C?

The only way to know if you have hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C is to get tested.

You can have hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C and not know it. Many people who have hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C do not have any symptoms for many years, even though the virus is injuring their liver. There is no mandatory hepatitis B and hepatitis C testing during immigration medical examinations for Canada.

Ask a healthcare provider for hepatitis B and hepatitis C tests. You may want to also get tested for other infections at the same time, like HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.

How can I prevent hepatitis B and hepatitis C?

There are many ways to prevent hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C:

  • To prevent hepatitis B, get vaccinated. 
  • Use condoms the right way each time you have sex.
  • If you use drugs, avoid sharing by using new equipment every time you inject and by using your own equipment every time you smoke or snort.
  • If you receive medical, dental or surgical treatment outside Canada, try to ensure that the equipment either is new or has been properly sterilized. 
  • If you receive donated blood or tissue outside of Canada, try to confirm that it has been tested for common blood-borne infections. 

If you may have recently been exposed to hepatitis B, ask a healthcare provider about PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis). Ideally, you should start PEP for hepatitis B within 24 hours of exposure.

How can I prevent passing hepatitis B and hepatitis C to my baby?

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, get tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C. If you test positive, talk with your healthcare provider about how to lower the risk of passing hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C to your baby. 

  • For hepatitis B: Treatment during pregnancy and making sure the baby gets the right care, including vaccines at birth, can prevent passing hepatitis B. If the baby has been vaccinated and receives proper care, breastfeeding is safe.
  • For hepatitis C: Treating and curing hepatitis C before becoming pregnant prevents passing hepatitis C. If you are currently pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider about making a plan for curing hepatitis C. Ask about when to test the baby for hepatitis C.

If you think you’ve been exposed to hepatitis B or hepatitis C, get tested. If you test positive, talk with your healthcare provider about how to lower the risk of passing hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C to your pregnant partner, child and others.

Is there treatment for hepatitis B and hepatitis C?

Hepatitis B treatment is available to keep the virus under control. With proper care, people with hepatitis B can live long and healthy lives. 

There is treatment that cures over 95% of people with hepatitis C in one course of treatment. Treatment is taken as pills, usually for eight or 12 weeks. Most people have few or no side effects.

If you have hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C, talk to a healthcare provider about your treatment and care options. 

What about hepatitis A and hepatitis D?

Hepatitis A and hepatitis D are other viruses that can affect the liver. 

Hepatitis A is usually passed through water or food contaminated with fecal matter (poo). It can also be passed through close contact with someone who has hepatitis A. Most people who get hepatitis A recover from it on their own. When this happens, they are immune to the virus and cannot get hepatitis A again. There is a vaccine to protect against hepatitis A. 

Hepatitis D is passed in the same ways as hepatitis B, but it can only survive in the body if hepatitis B is also there. This means a person can only get hepatitis D if they already have hepatitis B or if they get both viruses at the same time. Most people will recover on their own but it can become a chronic infection. Hepatitis D can cause more severe liver disease than hepatitis B on its own. 

Getting vaccinated against hepatitis A and B is the best way to prevent hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis D.