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How can you become a chronic Hep B carrier?
I've been struggling ever since my boyfriend got diagnosed with Hep B and now he's been confirmed as a chronic Hep B carrier and his parents don't have Hep B.
The doctors said that how he got it will remain a mystery: it's either from his childhood years or a sexual contact in his teenage years (he has had no transfusions, no tattoos or piercing).
As far as I know my boyfriend's sexual past is very small with no risk partners (but you never know).
I know children up to 5 years are at a higher risk of becoming chronic than adults, but aren't adults and teenagers more at risk of getting exposed to the virus in the first place?
My concern is how can a child get a Hep b (I know there's a risk in kindergarten through wounds/cuts if another kid is infected though this seems rare).
What is the reality of Hep B in children being a result of sexual abuse? I'm worried, please if you know explain.
Thank you
The doctors said that how he got it will remain a mystery: it's either from his childhood years or a sexual contact in his teenage years (he has had no transfusions, no tattoos or piercing).
As far as I know my boyfriend's sexual past is very small with no risk partners (but you never know).
I know children up to 5 years are at a higher risk of becoming chronic than adults, but aren't adults and teenagers more at risk of getting exposed to the virus in the first place?
My concern is how can a child get a Hep b (I know there's a risk in kindergarten through wounds/cuts if another kid is infected though this seems rare).
What is the reality of Hep B in children being a result of sexual abuse? I'm worried, please if you know explain.
Thank you
Yes, for kids it is easy to pick up hepatitis b which spreads relatively easy...but for healthy adults virtually impossible.
I read lots of literature on Hep B, this is the first time I heard about sexual assault transmissions.
99% of hep b carriers got it as children and virtually all of those 99% got it trough blood. Hep B as opposed to say HIV, lives for days even in a blood that is dry. When children play (especially boys) they get cut a lot on different sharp subjects which have previously picked up cuts(blood) from other hep B children/adults.
Other children got it at their vaccinations or other medial procedures, as medical professionals in past in many countries used same needles to vaccinate a number of different kids.
Hep B virus was shown to be able to live for at least 500 additional years in dead humans:
http://www.livescience.com/4541-korean-mummy-holds-clues-disease.html
I read lots of literature on Hep B, this is the first time I heard about sexual assault transmissions.
99% of hep b carriers got it as children and virtually all of those 99% got it trough blood. Hep B as opposed to say HIV, lives for days even in a blood that is dry. When children play (especially boys) they get cut a lot on different sharp subjects which have previously picked up cuts(blood) from other hep B children/adults.
Other children got it at their vaccinations or other medial procedures, as medical professionals in past in many countries used same needles to vaccinate a number of different kids.
Hep B virus was shown to be able to live for at least 500 additional years in dead humans:
http://www.livescience.com/4541-korean-mummy-holds-clues-disease.html
P.s.
Just read your other tread from couple of months ago where you suspected (or better said imagined) your bf acquired hep B trough homosexual activities.
Mediterranean countries (and you can google if you need convincing) from where your bf is, have relatively high prevalence of hepatitis B. People there get it as children either at birth or trough different medical procedures, again as children. Virtually all adults clear it, the exceptions are usually only adults with an impaired immune system.
I think you fears are stimulating the very negative and unfair thoughts about your bf, but also about the all of us who are hep b positive. Vast majority of Hep B people, unlike those with HIV, got their infections not trough sex, but trough blood as innocent kids.
Just read your other tread from couple of months ago where you suspected (or better said imagined) your bf acquired hep B trough homosexual activities.
Mediterranean countries (and you can google if you need convincing) from where your bf is, have relatively high prevalence of hepatitis B. People there get it as children either at birth or trough different medical procedures, again as children. Virtually all adults clear it, the exceptions are usually only adults with an impaired immune system.
I think you fears are stimulating the very negative and unfair thoughts about your bf, but also about the all of us who are hep b positive. Vast majority of Hep B people, unlike those with HIV, got their infections not trough sex, but trough blood as innocent kids.
1 Comments
Hi Aduiski, tnx for your replies. I'm sorry if my comments come off as offending. The GP we went to told us a wrong diagnosis the first time saying it's acute infection in the past 6 months and this made me go along so many scenarios coupled with my insecurities. Now that the specialist confirmed it's chronic it makes more sense, but some of the people I consulted made the assault suggestion, although when I read articles online it said that Hep B in children is often transmitted to close household contacts with an infected person rather than an assault.
Why is it challenging? In south-east Asian countries about 10% of population are chronic Hep B carriers, like your boyfriend.
99% is that he got it as a child, like the rest of us. It is very silly from you to think that he was assaulted as a child and thus got hep B. He got it trough blood, as a kid, not his own fault...
99% is that he got it as a child, like the rest of us. It is very silly from you to think that he was assaulted as a child and thus got hep B. He got it trough blood, as a kid, not his own fault...
Hi, it is really difficult to tell how one was infected to become chronic carrier. It is more probably for infants and children below age 5 as you said. It could be for example by biting from in|fected children; or it could be by dentist visit, blood work, etc.
But at this time what is important for you is not to dwell on how your boyfriend became infected, but rather how you learn to live with it, because you cannot change the factum, anyway. As known, the great majority of chronic hbvers live long and healthy lives as if they are not infected. Even if the disease gets more serious, as in few cases, there are many potent antivirals that control it and keeps the liver healthy.
Just make sure you are vaccinated and gained immunity against hbv, if you've not done already.
Good luck!
But at this time what is important for you is not to dwell on how your boyfriend became infected, but rather how you learn to live with it, because you cannot change the factum, anyway. As known, the great majority of chronic hbvers live long and healthy lives as if they are not infected. Even if the disease gets more serious, as in few cases, there are many potent antivirals that control it and keeps the liver healthy.
Just make sure you are vaccinated and gained immunity against hbv, if you've not done already.
Good luck!
2 Comments
Many thanks for your response, I started the vaccination. This is very challenging for me. Would appreciate any comments, please!
Why is it challenging? In south-east Asian countries about 10% of population are chronic Hep B carriers, like your boyfriend.
99% is that he got it as a child, like the rest of us. It is very silly from you to think that he was assaulted as a child and thus got hep B. He got it trough blood, as a kid, not his own fault...
99% is that he got it as a child, like the rest of us. It is very silly from you to think that he was assaulted as a child and thus got hep B. He got it trough blood, as a kid, not his own fault...
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