Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver. Hepatitis B can be contracted via exposure to the bodily fluids of an infected person; this includes, but is not exclusive to, blood and semen. Some of the ways Hepatitis B can be transmitted include the sharing of needles, sexual activity, and childbirth (from mother to child).
The severity of Hepatitis B can vary. For many, it is a short-term illness. Yet, it does have the potential to become a chronic infection. Only 2%-6% of adults who contract Hepatitis B will become chronically infected; whereas, among infants the rate jumps up to 90%. Complications from Hepatitis B include cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. Vaccination is the best way to prevent Hepatitis B infection.
