Skip to main content
          Skip to FDA Search
          Skip to in this section menu
          Skip to footer links


U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government

					Here’s how you know
          			Dot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.
							      SSL**The site is secure.** The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. 
			U.S. Food and Drug Administration
				
        Search
            Menu
							
						Search FDA
									
									Submit search 
		Featured
							Contact FDA
	                FDA Guidance Documents
	                Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts
	                Press Announcements
	                Warning Letters
	                Advisory Committees
	                En Español

					Products
            Food
							Drugs
							Medical Devices
							Radiation-Emitting Products
							Vaccines, Blood, and Biologics
							Animal and Veterinary
							Cosmetics
							Tobacco ProductsTopics
            About FDA
							Combination Products
							Regulatory Information
							Safety
							Emergency Preparedness
							International Programs
							News and Events
							Training and Continuing Education
							Inspections and Compliance
							Science and ResearchInformation For
            Consumers
	            Patients
	            Industry
	            Health Professionals
	            Federal, State and Local Officials 
 In this section:

                Minority Health and Health Equity Resources

Minority Health and Health Equity Resources

                        Alzheimer's Disease
          Asthma
          Clinical Trial Diversity
          Colorectal Cancer
          Diabetes
          Heart Disease
          Hepatitis B
          Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
          Hypertension
          Immunization
          Lupus
          Rural Health
          Sickle Cell Disease
          Stroke
          Commercial Tobacco Use in American Indian and Alaska Native Populations
          Tobacco Use Home
          For Consumers
          Minority Health and Health Equity
          Minority Health and Health Equity Resources
          Hepatitis BMinority Health and Health Equity Resources Hepatitis B
  
  	
    Subscribe to Email Updates
    Share
    Post
    Linkedin

    Email
    PrintImage
              Multigenerational family taking a picture at the parkFact Sheet: Download and Share    Brochure: Download and Share    Infographics: Download and Share

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis B can be an acute, short-term infection or a chronic, long-lasting infection. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up over half of the people in the United States living with chronic hepatitis B. African Americans have the second-highest rate of chronic hepatitis B. If you are living with chronic hepatitis B, talk to your health care provider about starting a treatment regimen.

What is hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes inflammation of the liver. It is spread by:

Having unprotected sex with an infected person
	Sharing contaminated razors, toothbrushes, or needles
	Coming in contact with infected blood like from an open wound or transfusion
	Mother to baby during vaginal or cesarean birthHepatitis B infection may be acute (short term) or chronic (long term).

**Acute HBV** symptoms can last from a few weeks to up to six months and may include:

Fatigue
	Fever
	Joint Pain
	Loss of appetite
	Abdominal pain
	Yellow eyes and skin (jaundice)
	Clay-colored bowel movements
	Dark urine
	Nausea and/or vomiting**Chronic HBV** infection occurs when the virus remains in a person’s body. People living with chronic HBV can spread the virus to others, even if they do not feel or look sick themselves. Over time, chronic HBV can cause scarring of the liver, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death.

**Know Your Status**

If you think you’ve been exposed to HBV, ask your health care provider to get tested. Blood tests can determine whether a person was infected in the past, is currently infected, or has never been infected.

Hepatitis B treatments

People living with chronic hepatitis B should be monitored regularly by their health care provider for signs of liver disease and evaluated for possible treatment. There are three types of treatment options for chronic HBV.

**Antiviral medications**: Medications taken by mouth to help your body fight the virus and reduce the risk of liver damage.
	**Interferon injections**: Injections consisting of interferons, which are substances produced by cells in the body to help fight the infection.
	**Liver transplant**: If chronic hepatitis B leads to liver failure or liver cancer, you may need a liver transplant as a last resort. A transplant is a surgical procedure that removes your unhealthy liver and replaces it with a healthy liver from a donor.Hepatitis B and clinical trails

FDA encourages diverse participation in clinical trials. If you think a clinical trial may be right for you, talk to your health care provider. You can also search for clinical trials in your area at **www.ClinicalTrials.gov**.

For more information on health equity, visit **www.fda.gov/healthequity**.

Download Hepatitis B Resources

Fact Sheet: Hepatitis B
	Brochure: Know Your Status and Treat Hepatitis B
	Infographics: What Is Hepatitis B?

                                                                                  Content current as of:
      01/14/2022
              
              
Health Topic(s)
			  Hepatitis BMinority Health and Health Equity Resources

          
                        Alzheimer's Disease
          Asthma
          Clinical Trial Diversity
          Colorectal Cancer
          Diabetes
          Heart Disease
          Hepatitis B
          Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
          Hypertension
          Immunization
          Lupus
          Rural Health
          Sickle Cell Disease
          Stroke
          Commercial Tobacco Use in American Indian and Alaska Native Populations
          Tobacco Use
 Subscribe to the FDA Office of Minority Health and Health Equity email updates
                          Get regular FDA email updates delivered on this topic to your inbox.
    Enter your email address to subscribe:
 Footer Links
    FDA Archive
          About FDA
          Accessibility
      Visitor Information
          Website Policies / Privacy
          No FEAR Act
          Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
      FOIA
          HHS.gov
          USA.gov
    Contact FDA
      Follow FDA on Facebook
      Follow FDA on X
      Follow FDA on Instagram
      Follow FDA on LinkedIn
      View FDA videos on YouTube
      Subscribe to FDA RSS feeds
    FDA Homepage
    Contact Number
      1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) Back toTop