Answer:
by Georgan Gregg: ()
Please talk to your sexual partner if you think they had or have hepatitis. It’s certainly possible that you can become infected from kissing or intercourse, depending upon the type of hepatitis. Condoms are not 100% effective, so rather than worry, you should talk with your physician immediately about the Hepatitis B vaccine.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that can be caused by 5 major types of viruses: Hepatitis A (HAV), Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV), Hepatitis D (HDV) & Hepatitis E (HEV). Hepatitis A & B are preventable through vaccination, but there’s no vaccination for hepatitis C or E. By the way, HDV only infects those with active HBV so the vaccine protects against both.
Intercourse will have a different risk level with each type of viral hepatitis, but highest with HBV. HAV can be transmitted if you eat or drink something with HAV-contaminated stool or blood, or by oral-anal sex. Blood, saliva, semen, or vaginal secretions transmit HBV & HCV. Unlike hepatitis A, which doesn’t cause long term problems, hepatitis B & C can cause chronic, serious liver diseases. Hepatitis C may be sexually transmitted, but usually only by sex with enough trauma for blood to be present such as rough sex, rape or sexual abuse. Hepatitis D is transmitted intravenously & perhaps sexually, but it only infects those who have an active hepatitis B infection. Hepatitis E is primarily transmitted through contaminated water sources & lack of sanitation.
If you’ve already been exposed to HBV you should talk to your physician because vaccination may prevent illness. It’s recommended that hepatitis B immune globulin be given with the vaccine for higher effectiveness, when you’ve been already been exposed. Latex condoms are effective prevention for HBV during vaginal, oral & anal sex. Some of the hepatitis viruses have blood tests to see if you are infected.
You can learn more about viral hepatitis by going to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s website. Let us know if we can be of help again.
Reviewed by: Patricia Fawver Ph.D. in Sexology
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