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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Your risk of hepatitis B infection is increased if you:

  • Have unprotected sex with more than one partner
  • Have unprotected sex with someone who's infected with HBV
  • Have a sexually transmitted disease such as gonorrhea or chlamydia
  • Are a man who has sexual contact with other men
  • Share needles during intravenous (IV) drug use
  • Share a household with someone who has a chronic HBV infection
  • Have a job that exposes you to human blood
  • Receive hemodialysis for end-stage kidney (renal) disease
  • Travel to regions with high infection rates of HBV, such as Africa, Central and Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe
References
  1. FAQs for the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/B/bFAQ.htm. Accessed July 24, 2009.
  2. Hepatitis B. American Liver Foundation. http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/info/hepatitisb/. Accessed July 24, 2009.
  3. What I need to know about hepatitis B. National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hepb_ez/index.htm. Accessed July 24, 2009.
  4. Mast EE, et al. A comprehensive immunization strategy to eliminate transmission of hepatitis B virus in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) part II: Immunization of adults. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2006;55:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5516a1.htm. Accessed July 24, 2009.
  5. Understanding hepatitis. American Gastroenterological Association. http://www.gastro.org/frame-templates/print_template.cfm. Accessed July 24, 2009.
  6. Viral hepatitis screening. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. http://www.aasld.org/yourliver/Pages/ViralHepatitisScreening.aspx. Accessed July 24, 2009.
  7. Lok ASF, et al. AASLD practice guidelines: Chronic hepatitis B. Hepatology. 2007;45:507.
  8. Milk thistle. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/milkthistle/ataglance.htm. Accessed Aug. 4, 2009.
  9. Mast EE, et al. A comprehensive immunization strategy to eliminate transmission of hepatitis B virus infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) part 1: Immunization of infants, children and adolescents. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2005;54:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5416a1.htm. Accessed July 24, 2009.
  10. Perrillo R, et al. Hepatitis B and D. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/155081399-2/0/1389/0.html. Accessed Aug. 19, 2009.

DS00398

Sept. 5, 2009

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