Husband Tested Positive for Hep B Surface Antigen

[lilargie]

My husband and I have been together since we were teenagers. We have not had any other sexual partners, never of us has ever done drugs or used needles in any other way. We are currently going thru infertility treatments and were routinely tested and just got the news Friday that my husband tested positive for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen. I tested negative ... I was also tested back in March - negative. He doesn't seem to present any symptoms.

We made an appointment for him to see a general practitioner for tomorrow to check into this further.

What does this mean?  How could I not get this?  How could he have possibly gotten this?

I'm not sure how worried we need to be.

[aisha750]

my husband of 5 years is hepatitis b positive, and he is a carrier. i was tested negative. i called the health department and they told me not worry since i have been immunized. my question is can we have kids?

[bram44]

Using same utensils,sharing same drinking glass can not transmit the virus.

Unless there is blood in saliva and a person has cuts in the mouth that could absorb the blood.

Majority of people do not know how they contracted this virus. The most important thing is for families to understand this and help the affected people.  

[Twinstacey]

Same thing happened to me and My husband.  I found out I had the surface antigen when I was 18 when I have blood at my High school.  When my mother took me to the doctor (in 1990). The doctor told us the same thing "dont worry about it".  So I never did because I was told it was nothing.  I did not know how I got it either because I have never did drugs of any kind or had sex at that age it.  I went on to marry my high school sweet heart and found out when I had my first child 10 years later that I was still showing Hepatis surface antigen in my blood so they gave my baby an extra dose of the Hept B immunization at the hospital right after birth.  Then my husband went to Gen. Practioner and was tested and he did not have the Hep B surface antigen so he was immunized over a period of time then went back and he showed he showed he was successfully immunized. Which is wierd because we had been together for 15 years and he never caught the virus from me "Thank GOD"!!!  so it very possible that you never got it from your husband either since he is just a "carrier".  You should just get checked and if your clear then get immunized and also be sure if you have children to have them immunized so that they are also protected.  I wonder to this day where I could have gotten it since I was not sexually active yet nor have i ever done drugs but my Doctor said I could have picked it up anywhere. Like a public restroom or having a family member that had an active case that maybe I drank after or something because back them I also drank after my family. I never thought even twice about it but now I am very careful.  anyway just thought I would share my story because it sounds so similiar to mine.

[April63]

Hi lilargie!:) You must be in shock right now and have lots of questions. My case is very similar. One partner for 30 years and I never contracted his virus. On the other note I recently found out that I have Hep C and he never (luckily) got mine. Please have yourself vaccinated. Lilargie, I knew about my husbands HBV when we were 16, but than in early 80-s were told " not to worry about it". There wasn't much information about the virus,so we had unprotected sex for most of our married life. We have 2 kids and they don't share our misfortune. Thanks God! As for where he could get it? You'll probably never know. There are so many places, like dentists,hospitals,walk-in clinics (injections), barbers,etc. Bran44 is right,focus on finding out more about the illness and the treatment because there is a long road ahead of you both. Take care. Lots of hugs-April.

[bram44]

Plese see the following page for more info:

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Hepatitis/HepB-Introduction--Welcome-Page/show/34?cid=153

[bram44]

Lot of chronic hep-b patients are asymptomatic.

If you test for anitibodies, most likely you will be posite (HBsAb). Which means you may have natural immunity.

How he got it ? There are many possiblities and it really does not matter now.

I think you need to find a good GI and get other tests for your husband.