How effective are the vaccines for people living with hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C? Expand In clinical trials COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to provide excellent protection from getting sick with COVID-19.1 You can review the information about the effectiveness of different approved vaccines on the Department of Health website. There is no data to suggest COVID-19 vaccines cause harm for people with chronic liver disease. Vaccines are, in general, less effective in patients with chronic liver disease and those post-liver transplant but there is no data specifically for the COVID-19 vaccines.2 References Department of Health. (2021, July 6). COVID-19 vaccination – ATAGI clinical guidance on COVID-19 vaccine in Australia in 2021. Retrieved from Australian Government Department of Health: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-atagi-clinical-guidance-on-covid-19-vaccine-in-australia-in-2021 British Liver Trust. (2021, April 9). Update for people with liver disease on the COVID-19 vaccine. Retrieved from British Liver Trust: https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/update-for-people-with-liver-disease-on-the-covid-19-vaccine/ Updated 14 July 2021
I don't have hepatitis C anymore. Can I give blood? Expand No. Even though you don't have hepatitis C anymore, you will always have hepatitis C antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that your body makes to fight the virus. When the blood bank tests blood for hepatitis C, they use an antibody test. This means that if you have hepatitis C antibodies they will not be able to use your blood. In the past, any person who had ever used drugs with needles wasn't able to give blood. It didn't matter if they had antibodies or not. This is not true anymore. Find out more about curing hepatitis C References I had hepatitis - can I donate? Australian Red Cross Blood Service Updated 14 March 2023
I have hepatitis B but I feel fine. Do I really need to get regular liver checks? Expand Yes, you should get your liver checked every 6 to 12 months. Even if you feel fine, hepatitis B can still damage your liver. If you wait until you feel sick, you might already have liver damage that can't be fixed. The only way to know this is to keep getting your liver checked. If the virus starts causing damage to your liver, you can take medicine. This can slow down the damage and make you less likely to get liver disease or liver cancer. Find out more about liver health checks Find out more about the symptoms of hepatitis B References ASHM. (2019). What is hepatitis B. Retrieved from All Good. Updated 6 March 2023
I have hepatitis C but I feel fine. Why should I worry about getting cured? Expand Even if you feel fine, hepatitis C can still be harming your liver. If you wait until you feel sick, the virus may already have caused a lot of harm. And you might not be able to heal. If you don't get treated, you could get liver failure, severe liver scarring (cirrhosis) and liver cancer. Getting rid of hepatitis C also means you can’t pass it on to others. But you can still get it again if you come into contact with the blood of someone who has it. Many people who have gotten rid of hepatitis C report that they: feel more clear in your mind have more energy feel less worried or anxious Talk to your doctor about the best time for you to start taking medicines. The new direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medicines are easy to take and most people have few or no side-effects. Find out more about medicines for hepatitis C References Hepatitis C. Better Health Channel, Victorian Government Department of Health Updated 14 March 2023.
Iâm pregnant and have hep B â can my baby get it? Expand Yes, the most common way people get hepatitis B is through birth. Hepatitis B does not spread through breast milk. There are ways to stop hepatitis B from spreading from mother to child. Most babies born in Australia have a hepatitis B vaccine as soon as they are born. We call this the birth dose. If you are pregnant and have hepatitis B, your baby should have an extra injection within 12 hours of birth. This injection has something called hepatitis B immunoglobulin. These are antibodies that help the body fight the virus. They'll also get three more hepatitis B vaccines over the next 6 months like other babies. Together this works well to protect the baby against the virus. Your baby will have a blood test when they are about nine to 12 months old. This test checks for infection and immunity. Some women have a high level of the virus in their body while they are pregnant. This means they are more likely to pass it on to their baby. If you have a high level of hepatitis B your doctor can give you an antiviral medicine. You'll take this during the third trimester and up to a few weeks after birth. This will make it less likely that you pass the virus onto your baby. Talk to your doctor about this. They may suggest you keep taking the medicine, stop, or swap to another medicine. Find out more about hepatitis B vaccination Find out more about treatment for hepatitis B References Infants born to mothers who are hepatitis B surface antigen–positive are recommended to receive both hepatitis B vaccine and HBIG, Australian Immunistaion Handbook, Department of Health and Aged Care Managing hepatitis B virus in pregnancy and children, B Positive, ASHM Updated 6 March 2023
Iâm pregnant and have hepatitis C. Can my baby get it? Expand There is a small chance that babies can get hepatitis C from their mother. This can happen during birth. If you are pregnant and have hepatitis C, you should talk to your doctor. If you are thinking about getting pregnant and have hepatitis C, talk to your doctor. You can clear the hepatitis C first. Taking hepatitis C medicines while you are pregnant may harm your baby. So you can't start taking the medicines until you've had the baby and stopped breastfeeding. Find out more about curing hepatitis C References Management of Hepatitis C in pregnancy. RANZCOG Updated 6 March 2023
Iâve had a blood test, have I been tested for hepatitis B? Expand Testing for hepatitis B is not a part of normal blood test. Most of the time you'll have to ask your doctor. There are two exceptions to this: Most pregnant women get tested for hepatitis B as part of normal pregnancy checks If you give blood to the blood bank, they will test it for hepatitis B. They'll tell you if you have come into contact with the virus. Read our article No, you’re not being tested for hepatitis as part of a routine blood test Read our article No, you’re not being tested for hepatitis as part of a routine blood test References Blood tests during pregnancy, Pregnancy, birth & baby. Blood testing and safety. Australian Red Cross. Updated 6 March 2023
Iâve had a blood test. Did I get tested for hepatitis C? Expand Testing for hepatitis C is not part of normal blood tests. You have to ask your doctor. There are two times where testing is a part of the normal blood tests: If you get pregnant, your doctor will test you for hepatitis C. This is a normal part of screening during pregnancy. If you give blood to the blood bank, they will test for hepatitis C. They will tell you if you have ever come into contact with hepatitis C. Read our article: No, you’re not being tested for hepatitis as part of a routine blood test References: Blood testing and safety. Australian Red Cross Blood Lifeblood Updated 14 March 2023
Iâve had hepatitis C medicines before. Can I take them again? Expand Yes. The main types of medicines for hepatitis C are direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). If you've had these before, you can take them again. Your treatment might be a bit different to someone who has never taken these medicines before. You might also need to see a specialist doctor so you have the best chance of getting cured. Find out more about treatment for hepatitis C References What You Need To Know: a guide to hepatitis C (booklet). Hepatitis NSW Updated 14 March 2023
If I get hepatitis C, how likely is it that it will become chronic? Expand About 25% of people who get hepatitis C get rid of the virus naturally. Everyone else (75%) will develop chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis. Find out more about cures for hepatitis C References Testing for Hep C. ASHM Updated 14 March 2023.
If I have hepatitis B, should I get a hepatitis A vaccine? Expand Yes. Getting the hepatitis A vaccine is safe if you have hepatitis B. The hepatitis A vaccine can protect your liver from another infection that could damage it. Find out more about hepatitis A References Hepatitis A immunisation service, Department of Health and Aged Care Updated 6 March 2023
If I have hepatitis B, should my family get tested? Expand Yes. It's your choice who you tell that you have hepatitis B. It's a good idea to tell your partner, family and the people you live with. This means they can get tested. If they have never had hepatitis B they can protect themselves by getting the vaccine. Find out more about testing for hepatitis B Find out more about vaccination against hepatitis B Find out more about liver checks References Hepatitis B immunisation service. Australian Government Department of Health Hepatitis B, All Good, ASHM Updated 6 March 2023
If I have hepatitis C, should I get the hepatitis A or B vaccine? Expand Yes. It is safe for people who have hepatitis C to get the hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines. In fact, you should get these vaccines to protect your liver from these other diseases that could cause it harm. Find out more about the hepatitis B vaccine Find out more about hepatitis A References Hepatitis A immunisation service, Department of Health and Aged Care Hepatitis B immunisation service, Department of Health and Aged Care Updated 14 March 2023
Is it safe to breastfeed if I have hep C? Expand Yes, so long as you don't have cracked or bleeding nipples. You can't pass hepatitis C on through breast milk. But if you have a cracked or bleeding nipple, stop breastfeeding on that breast. And talk to a midwife. If you want to take medicine for hepatitis C after pregnancy (and after you've stopped breastfeeding), talk to your doctor. You can't take these medicines while you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Your doctor can tell you about the benefits and harms. Find out more about how to stop yourself from getting hepatitis C Find out more about hepatitis C treatment References Management of Hepatitis C in pregnancy. RANZCOG Updated 6 March 2023
Is it safe to breastfeed if I have hepatitis B? Expand Yes. To make sure it is safe, your baby should get two injections when they are born. Your baby has these injections within the first 12 hours. One injection contains immunoglobulin. These are antibodies that help the body fight the virus. The other injection is baby's first hepatitis B vaccine. All babies get this vaccine, even if their mother doesn't have hepatitis B. They'll also get hepatitis B vaccines over the next 6 months. Once your baby has received their immunoglobulin injection it is safe to breastfeed. References Hepatitis B or C Infections, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Australian consensus recommendations for the management of hepatitis B infection, GESA Management of Hepatitis B in pregnancy, RANZCOG Updated 6 March 2023
Is it safe to take herbal medicines or traditional Chinese medicines if I have hep B? Expand It depends on the medicine, but you should always talk to your doctor first as some of these medicines can harm your liver. There is no evidence that alternative medicines (including herbal medicines and Traditional Chinese Medicine) can cure or treat hepatitis B, despite what you might see on the Internet. If you are taking antiviral treatment for hepatitis B, some herbal medicines can interact with the antiviral medicines, which can be dangerous. Remember that alternative medicines are not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. If you have hepatitis B it is important to eat healthy, exercise and avoid alcohol and tobacco. Find out more about herbal medicines and hepatitis B References: hep. (2019, March 4). Natural Remedies and Hepatitis B. Retrieved from hepmag. Updated 11 December 2020
Is it safe to take herbal medicines or traditional Chinese medicines if I have hep C? Expand It depends on the medicine. But you should always talk to your doctor first, because some of these medicines can harm your liver. If you are taking direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C, some herbal medicines can mix with it. This can be harmful. You might see some people on the internet who say medicines like herbal medicines or traditional Chinese medicine help with hepatitis C. But there is no science that says these medicines help. Find out more about treatment for hepatitis C References Can herbs or natural remedies treat hepatitis C? Healthline. Updated 14 March 2023
Is there a cure for hepatitis B? Expand No. There is no cure for hepatitis B. But you can take medicine to manage your illness and prevent liver damage. You can lower your chances of getting liver disease and liver cancer by taking medicine and getting liver checks every 6 to 12 months. Experts are looking at new ways to treat hepatitis B. This may lead to a cure in the future. Find out more about hepatitis B treatment Find out more about hepatitis B monitoring References Hepatitis B, All Good, ASHM Updated 15 April 2020
Is there a cure for hepatitis C? Expand Yes. You can get something called "direct-acting antivirals" (DAAs). These are on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in Australia. These medicines work for almost everyone and have few or no side-effects. Most people need to take one to three pills daily for 8 to 12 weeks. The amount of time you need to be on the medicines changes from person to person. Find out more about medicines for hepatitis C References General Statement for Drugs for the Treatment of Hepatitis C. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Department of Health and Aged Care Hepatitis C. Better Health Channel Updated 14 March 2023
Is there a particular vaccine recommended for people living with hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C? Expand No, there is no specific vaccine which is better for people living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C. People under the age of 60 are not recommended to get the Astrazeneca vaccine.1 References (2021, April 14). FAQs for clinicians about covid-19 vaccines and people living with Hepatitis B/Hepatitis C-related chronic liver disease. Retrieved from ASHM: https://ashm.org.au/covid-19/clinical-care/faqs-for-clinicians-about-covid-19-vaccines-and-hepatitis/ Updated 14 July 2021
Is there a vaccine for hepatitis C? Expand No, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C. But there are vaccines for hepatitis B and hepatitis A. It's a good idea to have these. They help protect your liver. You can lower your chance of getting hepatitis C by not letting your blood touch someone else's blood. Find out more about how to stop yourself from getting hepatitis C References Hepatitis C. Better Health Channel Updated 14 March 2023
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