It’s widely known that viral hepatitis can spread though consuming contaminated food or sharing dirty hypodermic needles. But the liver-destroying disease can also spread through sexual contact. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself.
How many kinds of viral hepatitis are there?
Scientists have identified eight types. In the US, the main threats are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.
Can all types be spread by sexual contact?
Hepatitis A, B, and C can all be sexually transmitted, although sexual transmission of hepatitis C is less common.
Hepatitis A spreads via fecal-oral contact, which can occur if there is direct oral-anal contact or contact with fingers or objects that have been in or near the anus of an infected person. If even a microscopic amount of virus-laden feces gets into the mouth, infection can result.
Hepatitis B spreads via contact with blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and other body fluids of someone who is infected with the virus. The hepatitis B virus is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and is easily transmitted during sexual activity.
Hepatitis C is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood -- which may be present because of genital sores or cuts or menstruation.
Are men and women equally at risk of getting and spreading hepatitis through sex?
The risk is determined by a person’s behavior, not his/her gender.
Men who have sex with men are 10 to 15 times more likely than the general population to be infected with hepatitis B.
Viral hepatitis is also more common among people who come from parts of the world where the disease is endemic, including Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Infection is also more common among current or former users of inhaled or injected drugs. People with tattoos or piercings are also more likely to be infected because the needles used to create these body decorations sometimes harbor the hepatitis virus.
Of course, just because someone belongs to one of these risk groups doesn’t mean he or she is infected. And just because someone doesn’t belong to a risk group doesn’t mean he or she is free of infection.
How can I make sure my partner is free of hepatitis before we have sex?
There is no surefire symptom or sign to indicate that someone has hepatitis. Some infected people look perfectly healthy even in advanced stages of illness. Experts recommend talking openly with sex partners about the risk of hepatitis and other sexually transmitted infections.
Of course, if you notice that someone has yellowing of the skin or eyes (a condition known as jaundice), consider that a red flag. Other symptoms of hepatitis include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, joint or abdominal pain, and clay-colored bowel movements. Blood tests are available to help determine if someone has hepatitis that could spread through sex.
