Hepatitis B: prevention and treatment

How is hepatitis B prevented?

You can protect yourself from hepatitis B by getting vaccinated. Until you do, the risk can be reduced by:

• using condoms for fucking and sucking and latex gloves for fisting.
• not sharing anything used to take drugs or steroids, such as rolled up bank notes, pipes, injecting equipment and so on
• avoiding 'do-it-yourself' or amateur piercing or tattooing as contaminated equipment might be used or shared.
• avoiding sharing sex toys unless they are covered with a fresh condom for each person they're used on or washed with a solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water.
• avoiding contact with blood during play piercing or any sex scene that draws blood.

Vaccination

You can get vaccinated against hepatitis B. The vaccinations are usually given as three injections over six months and you only get full protection if you have all the injections. A blood test after the last injection shows if the vaccine has worked, which it does for about 95% of people. After five years, you'll need a booster injection.

If you're over 40, or if you have HIV, vaccination can be less effective and you may need vaccinating twice. You might lose your protection sooner.

You might be given a blood test before you're vaccinated which shows if you've already had hepatitis B. If you have, you're now immune, can't get it again and don't need the vaccine.

There's a combined vaccine that covers both hepatitis A and B.

Where to get vaccinated

Gay and bisexual men are at greater risk of hepatitis B, so genito urinary medicine (GUM) clinics offer free vaccinations. Some GPs also give the vaccine but this means telling your GP you're gay or bisexual and you might not want this to go on your medical notes.

Vaccination and HIV

You can be safely vaccinated if you have HIV; in fact, it's recommended that people with HIV get the vaccine. Vaccines have a short-lived effect on your viral load, so tell the person vaccinating you that you have HIV and let the doctor treating your HIV know that you're being vaccinated.

How is hepatitis B treated?

You may need plenty of rest if you get hepatitis B, which can mean many weeks off sick. You may have to stop drinking alcohol, smoking and avoid party drugs for up to a year while your liver recovers.

If tests show you're a carrier, drugs may be able to control the virus.