Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is primarily spread when blood, semen, or certain other body fluids – even in microscopic amounts – from a person infected with HBV enter the body of someone who is not infected.

Although anyone can get hepatitis B, certain life circumstances, jobs, and behaviors can increase your risk.

Many people infected with hepatitis B virus won’t experience symptoms. If symptoms occur during acute infection, they often begin 90 days after exposure. Although the symptoms of acute HBV infection and chronic HBV infection may be similar, most people with chronic infection do not have symptoms until much later in life, often decades after exposure. Symptoms of hepatitis B include:

• Dark urine or clay-colored stools
• Feeling tired
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea, stomach pain, throwing up
• Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)

Approximately 90-95% of potential infections may be avoided through appropriate maternal screening and infant post-exposure prophylaxis.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious health problem in the U.S. Transmission of HBV from mother to infant during the perinatal period confers the greatest risk of chronic infection or death from HBV-related chronic liver disease.

For information about the Florida Department of Health’s Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program, contact Florida_PHBPP@FLHealth.gov.

All adults get screened for hepatitis B at least once in their lifetime through a blood test. There are also some people who should be tested more often, including:

• All pregnant women during each pregnancy.
• Infants born to pregnant women with HBV infection.
• People with ongoing risk for exposures.

Learn more about screening and testing testing services available at a local county health department.

A vaccination for hepatitis B is available.

Hepatitis Resource Guide, by county

The Florida Viral Hepatitis Planning Group was established in 2004 to encourage and promote the combined efforts of dedicated, skilled individuals and organizations to reduce the growing burden of viral hepatitis on Floridians, their families, and communities. The group includes representation from the community, private health care, public health, corrections, academic institutions, drug treatment, and other areas.

Currently, the Hepatitis Prevention Program is working to establish a statewide Viral Hepatitis Elimination Plan under a new advisory group.

This webinar is a one-hour, basic training and can be accessed through TRAIN Florida.

• Any health care worker can participate in the training
• Course number 1055759
• View how to setup a Florida TRAIN account

Continuing education credit of one hour is available for all licensed nurses in the state of Florida. Upon completion, you will have the option to print out a certificate. We also create a weekly report of nurses who take the class and send the information to the Office of Performance Improvement for CEUs.

Learning Objectives

• Describe symptoms, risk factors, and modes of transmission for hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV)
• Identify individuals who should be referred for hepatitis vaccination and/or testing
• Facilitate a provider-client conversation on viral hepatitis risk factors and test results
• Recognize laboratory test results
• Describe risk factors for HIV and hepatitis co-infection

This is a one-hour overview of laboratory testing, results, and interpretations, and can be accessed through TRAIN Florida.

• Any health care worker can participate in the training
• Course number 1059496
• View how to setup a Florida TRAIN account

Continuing education credit of one hour is available for all licensed nurses in the state of Florida. Upon completion, you will have the option to print out a certificate. We also create a weekly report of nurses who take the class and send the information to the Office of Performance Improvement for CEUs.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the available serological tests for hepatitis A, B, and C
• Provide an overview of interpretations for hepatitis A, B, and C test results
• Distinguish between acute and chronic viral hepatitis infections, and the serological makers associated with each
• Understand the efficacy of the viral hepatitis vaccine and make recommendations to clients

National Viral Hepatitis Strategic Plan, 2021-2025

• A-B-C Information Chart (English/Spanish)
• A-B-C Information Chart (Creole)
• Laboratory Test Results and Interpretations for Hepatitis A, B, and C
• Hepatitis Laboratory Reporting Guidelines Handout
• Hepatitis Provider Reporting Guidelines Handout