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Hepatitis B: Should I Be Tested?
You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.
Hepatitis B: Should I Be Tested?
1Get the | 2Compare | 3Your | 4Your | 5Quiz | 6Your Summary |
Get the facts
Your options
- Have a blood test for hepatitis B.
- Do not have the test.
Key points to remember
- Hepatitis B often causes no symptoms, so many people don't know that they have it until they get tested.
- People with hepatitis B may not need treatment if the disease hasn't caused any liver problems. But it can cause serious liver problems, such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, or liver failure. Treatment may prevent liver problems in some people.
- You can get shots to keep from getting hepatitis A or B.
- If you know that you have hepatitis B, you can take steps to keep from spreading it to others.
- Having to tell friends and family that you have hepatitis B could affect your relationships.
What is hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B causes inflammation of the liver. It is spread through infected blood and body fluids. Hepatitis B is spread most often during sexual contact and when people share needles to inject drugs.
Hepatitis B can also be spread when an infected person shares items such as razors or toothbrushes.
Sometimes a baby is infected at birth because the mother has hepatitis B.
Many people have hepatitis B for years without knowing it, because they have no symptoms.
Hepatitis B can cause serious liver problems, such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, or liver failure. But some people never have serious problems.
Most adults who get hepatitis B have it for a short time and then get better on their own.
What is the test for hepatitis B?
You can have a blood test to find out if you have hepatitis B. A small amount of blood is drawn from your arm. The blood is sent to a lab.
The test looks for hepatitis B antibodies. Having these antibodies means that you have been exposed to hepatitis B, but it does not mean that you now have an active infection.
If the test shows that you have been exposed to hepatitis B, your blood may be tested again to see if the virus is still in your blood. The second test shows whether you have an active hepatitis B infection. For the second test, the lab may use some of the blood that was already drawn, or you may need to have more blood drawn.
What are the benefits of getting tested?
- Getting tested can lead to early treatment, which may help prevent a long-term infection.
- If you know that you have hepatitis B, you may decide to tell people who may have given you the disease, so that they can get tested. People you may have infected also could be tested.
- If you know that you have the infection, you can take steps to avoid spreading it.
- If your test shows that you don't have hepatitis B, you can get a vaccine to keep you from ever getting it.
What are the risks of getting tested?
If you find out that you have hepatitis B, you have to decide whether to get treatment.
- A new hepatitis B infection in adults usually does not need to be treated. It usually goes away on its own. But in some people it leads to long-term (chronic) infection and serious liver problems.
- Some of the medicines used to treat hepatitis B have few or no side effects. But others can cause serious side effects, such as constant tiredness, headaches, a fever, nausea, thyroid problems, or depression.
Why might your doctor recommend that you get tested?
Your doctor might advise you to get tested for hepatitis B if:
- Your job or your lifestyle puts you at risk
for getting hepatitis. For example:
- You have sex without using a condom with more than one partner.
- You share needles to inject drugs.
Compare your options
Compare
What is usually involved? |
| |
|---|---|---|
What are the benefits? |
| |
What are the risks and side effects? |
|
- You have one or two blood tests.
- If tests show that you have hepatitis B, you may have other tests to see if you have any liver damage.
- You can be treated early, which can prevent a long-lasting infection and liver damage.
- You can take steps to avoid spreading the disease to others.
- You can tell others so that they can decide whether to be tested.
- If you don't have hepatitis B, you may decide to get the hepatitis B vaccine to keep you from ever getting it.
- Getting tested may give you peace of mind.
- You have to decide whether to have treatment, which can have serious side effects.
- Telling people that you have hepatitis B may be hard for you and can affect your relationships.
- You can take steps to avoid getting or spreading hepatitis B.
- You can wait and see if you get symptoms before you decide to be tested. But some people who have hepatitis B don't get symptoms.
- You won't have to decide whether to have treatment.
- You might not find out that you have hepatitis B early enough to get treatment that could slow or stop the infection.
- You won't be able to tell other people that they are at risk and might want to get tested.
- You won't know for sure whether you could give hepatitis B to others.
Personal stories about hepatitis B testing
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
I have been sexually active for years and have had at least a dozen sex partners. I'm going to have a hepatitis B test. I have a friend who went through treatment a year or so ago. He was pretty miserable, but he came out all right. If he can do it, I can. I think I owe it to myself to find out if I have hepatitis B.
Jax, age 40
I had several sex partners when I was in my 20s, but I don't consider myself promiscuous. I sometimes worry that I could have hepatitis B, but I think the odds are in my favor that I don't have it, so I'm not going to be tested.
Karen, age 33
I did drugs in my teens and shared needles a couple of times. I just recently read an article about hepatitis B, and I think I'll get tested. I don't want to deal with the treatment decision right now, but I want to know if I have it.
Malik, age 29
I lived with a woman who had hepatitis B, and I watched her go through the treatment. She had a rough time of it for a year. I don't think I could handle feeling that sick for so long. So I'm not going to be tested, because I don't think I would go through the treatment even if it turned out I have hepatitis B.
Sam, age 44
What matters most to you?
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to get tested for hepatitis B
Reasons not to get tested for hepatitis B
If I tested positive, I would be willing to deal with the side effects of treatment.
I wouldn't be willing to put myself through the side effects of treatment.
If I tested positive, I would want to tell people I might have given it to, so they could get tested.
I wouldn't want to tell people, because I'm worried that it would hurt my relationships.
I want to know for sure if I need to use condoms and take other steps so that I don't spread hepatitis B.
I'm already careful. I use condoms every time I have sex.
I'm more worried about having hepatitis B than I am about maybe having to tell people that I am infected.
I'm more worried that I might have to tell people I'm infected than I am about having hepatitis B.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
Where are you leaning now?
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Getting tested
NOT getting tested
What else do you need to make your decision?
Check the facts
Decide what's next
Certainty
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
Your Summary
Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
Your decision
Next steps
Which way you're leaning
How sure you are
Your comments
Your knowledge of the facts
Key concepts that you understood
Key concepts that may need review
Getting ready to act
Patient choices
Credits and References
| Author | Healthwise Staff |
|---|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | W. Thomas London, MD - Hepatology |
- Thio CL, Hawkins C (2015). Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis Delta virus. In JE Bennett et al., eds., Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 8th ed., vol. 2, pp. 1815-1839. Philadelphia: Saunders.
Hepatitis B: Should I Be Tested?
- Get the facts
- Compare your options
- What matters most to you?
- Where are you leaning now?
- What else do you need to make your decision?
1. Get the Facts
Your options
- Have a blood test for hepatitis B.
- Do not have the test.
Key points to remember
- Hepatitis B often causes no symptoms, so many people don't know that they have it until they get tested.
- People with hepatitis B may not need treatment if the disease hasn't caused any liver problems. But it can cause serious liver problems, such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, or liver failure. Treatment may prevent liver problems in some people.
- You can get shots to keep from getting hepatitis A or B.
- If you know that you have hepatitis B, you can take steps to keep from spreading it to others.
- Having to tell friends and family that you have hepatitis B could affect your relationships.
What is hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B causes inflammation of the liver. It is spread through infected blood and body fluids. Hepatitis B is spread most often during sexual contact and when people share needles to inject drugs.
Hepatitis B can also be spread when an infected person shares items such as razors or toothbrushes.
Sometimes a baby is infected at birth because the mother has hepatitis B.
Many people have hepatitis B for years without knowing it, because they have no symptoms.
Hepatitis B can cause serious liver problems, such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, or liver failure. But some people never have serious problems.
Most adults who get hepatitis B have it for a short time and then get better on their own.
What is the test for hepatitis B?
You can have a blood test to find out if you have hepatitis B. A small amount of blood is drawn from your arm. The blood is sent to a lab.
The test looks for hepatitis B antibodies. Having these antibodies means that you have been exposed to hepatitis B, but it does not mean that you now have an active infection.
If the test shows that you have been exposed to hepatitis B, your blood may be tested again to see if the virus is still in your blood. The second test shows whether you have an active hepatitis B infection. For the second test, the lab may use some of the blood that was already drawn, or you may need to have more blood drawn.
What are the benefits of getting tested?
- Getting tested can lead to early treatment, which may help prevent a long-term infection.
- If you know that you have hepatitis B, you may decide to tell people who may have given you the disease, so that they can get tested. People you may have infected also could be tested.
- If you know that you have the infection, you can take steps to avoid spreading it.
- If your test shows that you don't have hepatitis B, you can get a vaccine to keep you from ever getting it.
What are the risks of getting tested?
If you find out that you have hepatitis B, you have to decide whether to get treatment.
- A new hepatitis B infection in adults usually does not need to be treated. It usually goes away on its own. But in some people it leads to long-term (chronic) infection and serious liver problems.
- Some of the medicines used to treat hepatitis B have few or no side effects. But others can cause serious side effects, such as constant tiredness, headaches, a fever, nausea, thyroid problems, or depression.
Why might your doctor recommend that you get tested?
Your doctor might advise you to get tested for hepatitis B if:
- Your job or your lifestyle puts you at risk
for getting hepatitis. For example:
- You have sex without using a condom with more than one partner.
- You share needles to inject drugs.
2. Compare your options
| Get tested for hepatitis B | Don't get tested for hepatitis B | |
|---|---|---|
| What is usually involved? |
|
|
| What are the benefits? |
|
|
| What are the risks and side effects? |
|
|
Personal stories
Personal stories about hepatitis B testing
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
"I have been sexually active for years and have had at least a dozen sex partners. I'm going to have a hepatitis B test. I have a friend who went through treatment a year or so ago. He was pretty miserable, but he came out all right. If he can do it, I can. I think I owe it to myself to find out if I have hepatitis B."
— Jax, age 40
"I had several sex partners when I was in my 20s, but I don't consider myself promiscuous. I sometimes worry that I could have hepatitis B, but I think the odds are in my favor that I don't have it, so I'm not going to be tested."
— Karen, age 33
"I did drugs in my teens and shared needles a couple of times. I just recently read an article about hepatitis B, and I think I'll get tested. I don't want to deal with the treatment decision right now, but I want to know if I have it."
— Malik, age 29
"I lived with a woman who had hepatitis B, and I watched her go through the treatment. She had a rough time of it for a year. I don't think I could handle feeling that sick for so long. So I'm not going to be tested, because I don't think I would go through the treatment even if it turned out I have hepatitis B."
— Sam, age 44
3. What matters most to you?
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to get tested for hepatitis B
Reasons not to get tested for hepatitis B
If I tested positive, I would be willing to deal with the side effects of treatment.
I wouldn't be willing to put myself through the side effects of treatment.
If I tested positive, I would want to tell people I might have given it to, so they could get tested.
I wouldn't want to tell people, because I'm worried that it would hurt my relationships.
I want to know for sure if I need to use condoms and take other steps so that I don't spread hepatitis B.
I'm already careful. I use condoms every time I have sex.
I'm more worried about having hepatitis B than I am about maybe having to tell people that I am infected.
I'm more worried that I might have to tell people I'm infected than I am about having hepatitis B.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
4. Where are you leaning now?
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Getting tested
NOT getting tested
5. What else do you need to make your decision?
Check the facts
1. If I get hepatitis B, I need treatment to get better.
- True
- False
- I'm not sure
2. I might never know that I have hepatitis B if I don't get tested.
- True
- False
- I'm not sure
3. My getting tested might help other people.
- True
- False
- I'm not sure
Decide what's next
1. Do you understand the options available to you?
2. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
3. Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?
Certainty
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
2. Check what you need to do before you make this decision.
- I'm ready to take action.
- I want to discuss the options with others.
- I want to learn more about my options.
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | W. Thomas London, MD - Hepatology |
- Thio CL, Hawkins C (2015). Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis Delta virus. In JE Bennett et al., eds., Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 8th ed., vol. 2, pp. 1815-1839. Philadelphia: Saunders.
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Current as of: November 18, 2017
