Hepatitis B treatment
Most people won’t require treatment for hepatitis B, however people who develop chronic hepatitis B will need ongoing monitoring and may need treatment.
If you have any concerns or questions about accessing treatment, speak to your doctor.
Chronic hepatitis B treatment
If you have chronic hepatitis B you may need treatment to manage the virus and slow it’s replication as much as possible. Treatment aims to prevent, stop and even mildly reverse the progression of liver injury, but it’s not a cure.
It’s important to have regular (six to 12 month) check-ups with your doctor to monitor your condition. Not everyone needs to start treatment straight immediately. Deciding on when to start treatment should be made in consultation with a gastroenterologist or GP prescriber.
Accessing hepatitis B treatment
Hepatitis B medication is a special type of treatment that can only be prescribed by a qualified doctor or health practitioner (under the s100 prescriber program). If you have been prescribed hepatitis B medication, you must take them daily, even if you feel healthy or do not feel sick, if you don’t take them daily, they are less likely to work. Currently, Entecavir and Tenofovir are first line treatment options for anti-viral therapy1 and are funded under the Australian Government through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).2
If you take these medications, you will need to keep seeing your doctor and have regular blood tests to make sure the treatment is working, and you don’t have any side effects. If there are signs that your current medication isn’t working your doctor may change your antiviral tablets. Sometimes medications have side effects.
Living with chronic hepatitis B
Look after yourself
If you have chronic hepatitis B it’s important to look after your health so you can reduce the risk of liver damage. We recommend you:
- stay in regular contact with your GP or liver specialist and keep all medical appointments
- take any medication as directed
- reduce alcohol consumption, and avoid drinking alcohol if there is evidence of liver damage
- eat a balanced healthy diet
- get regular exercise
- maintain a healthy body weight
- manage your stress
- manage any other health conditions you have
- seek support if you need.
Protecting others
When you have hepatitis B it’s important to take precautions to prevent passing it onto others. You can do this by:
- ensuring people in your household are successfully vaccinated against hepatitis B
- using condoms and practising safe sex
- not sharing personal grooming items, to prevent blood-to-blood contact.
Further Reading
If you’re pregnant or planning to fall pregnant, talk to your doctor. You can also read our Mums-to-b brochure.
This brochure is also available in other languages. Head to our Resources page and search for ‘Hepatitis B’ resources.
Do I need to tell others I have chronic hepatitis B?
If you’re living with chronic hepatitis B most of the time it’s your decision who you tell. However, there are some situations where you will need to tell people you have hepatitis B. These include:1
- when you give blood – you can’t donate if you currently have hepatitis B
- you’re a healthcare worker who works in “exposure prone procedures” – such as a surgeon, or if you work with sharp instruments or exposed tissues when your hands or fingers are inside the patient’s body
- if you’re in the Australian Defence Force (e.g. Navy, Army, Air Force)
- when applying for a visa to live in Australia
- before donating organs or sperm
- when taking out health insurance.
If none of the above apply to you, you’re not required by law to tell anyone you have hepatitis B, including your employer or any educational institution.
When it comes to family and friends, it’s your choice who you tell, what you tell them and when you tell them.
While it can be hard to talk about, it’s recommended you tell people who may have come into contact with the virus, so they can be tested and treated if necessary. This includes anyone you have had unprotected sex with, or injected drugs with. If you don’t want to tell them yourself, you can ask your doctor to tell them for you.
It’s a good idea to tell people you live with that you have hepatitis B. This will help them take steps to protect themselves from transmission by being vaccinated or get tested for the virus.
Discrimination and stigma associated with hepatitis B
In Australia there are laws to protect you from discrimination if you have hepatitis B. If you’ve experienced discrimination, you can make a complaint.
Discrimination
Unfortunately, many people with hepatitis B report they are treated differently because they are living with hepatitis B, this is referred to as discrimination.
Discrimination is when someone is treated differently or unfairly because of who they are as a person. Often people are discriminated against based on their face, gender, sexual identity and preference or even their age. Discrimination can also happen if you have a health condition like hepatitis B.
Stigma
Stigma is the negative attitudes people have towards a person’s behaviour, appearance or identity. People living with hepatitis B can be stigmatised when people have incorrect beliefs or fears about the condition. You can help reduce stigma by challenging it and educating people around you.
