Skip to main content

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a virus that causes damage to your liver. It can be chronic, which means having it your whole life.

In Australia, more than 220,000 people are living with chronic Hepatitis B. Many people don’t know they have it.

If you need more information or support for hepatitis B, call HepLink on 1800 437 222.

ON THIS PAGE

1800 437 222 (1800 HEP ABC)

For free and localised viral hepatitis information and support services.

Visit website

 

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a virus that causes damage to your liver. It can be chronic, which means having it your whole life.

In Australia, more than 220,000 people are living with chronic Hepatitis B. Many people don’t know they have it.

If you need more information or support for hepatitis B, call HepLink on 1800 437 222.

What is hepatitis B?

  • Hepatitis B is the most common liver virus in the world.
  • You can protect yourself against hepatitis B with a vaccine. The vaccine is safe and works well.
  • Some people need medicine to take care of your chronic hepatitis B.
  • You can live well with chronic hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B is a virus that causes damage to your liver. It can be chronic, which means having it your whole life


On this page:

How do you get hepatitis B?

The most common time people get hepatitis B is early in life. Babies can get hepatitis B from their mother. This can happen before or during birth.

There are ways to stop hepatitis B from spreading from mother to child. When the baby is born they should get two injections. Your baby has these 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. Together this can protect the baby against the virus.

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. You can take a test for this. If you have a high level of hepatitis B your doctor can give you medicine. The medicine will make it less likely that you pass the virus onto your baby. It is safe to take while you are pregnant.

Some other ways you can get hepatitis B are:

  • having vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom
  • tattooing or body piercing with unsterile equipment
  • medical procedures with unsterile equipment
  • sharing needles, syringes or other injecting equipment, including spoons
  • sharing toothbrushes, razors or nail files
  • having cuts or sores that are uncovered. 

You cannot get hepatitis B through:

  • hugging or kissing
  • sharing food and eating utensils
  • eating food made by someone with hepatitis B
  • insect or animal bites, including mosquitoes
  • sharing bathrooms, showers or toilets
  • sneezing or coughing.

What happens if you get hepatitis B?

If you get hepatitis B, you could get an acute or chronic illness.

  1. Acute hepatitis B means the virus might make you sick for a short time but then you get better. Some people with acute hepatitis B naturally get rid of the virus.
  2. Chronic hepatitis B means you will have the virus for life.  You may not feel sick, but over time it could damage your liver so it does not work well. You have to wait six months to find out if your acute hepatitis B becomes chronic

This table shows what is likely to happen. This depends on how old you are when you come into contact with hepatitis B.

Age (when you first come into contact with the virus)

 Acute hepatitis B Chronic hepatitis B
Infants under one year old Most will not get any acute hep B signs 90% will get chronic hepatitis B if not given injection at birth and vaccinations
Children aged one to six years old Most will not get any acute hepatitis B signs 30% will get chronic hepatitis B
Adults or children over six years old Many will get acute hepatitis B signs

Less than 5% will get chronic hepatitis B

 

If you have chronic hepatitis B, it is very important that you see your doctor every 6 to 12 months. The doctor will check your liver so you can take medicine if you need it.

If you don’t have hepatitis B, you can get a vaccine from your doctor. This will protect you against it in the future.

To find out if you have hepatitis B, your doctor will need to do a blood test. There are many types of tests for hepatitis B. You can tell your doctor about this tool to help them find the right test for you: https://ashm.org.au/products/product/1976963402

 

Hepatitis B vaccination

  • Vaccines to protect against hepatitis B are safe and work really well.
  • Everyone should get vaccinated against hepatitis B from birth.
  • Adults who are more likely to get hepatitis B should also get the vaccine. 

The vaccine for hepatitis B has been around since 1982. People in Australia who are more likely to get hepatitis B have been able to get the vaccine since 1986.


On this page


Who should get the vaccine?

All babies should get vaccinated against hepatitis B, as well as some adults who are at greater risk of getting it.

Children born in Australia after 1 May 2000 should have had the hepatitis B vaccine just after birth. Babies normally get the first dose within the first 24 hours. They will also get doses at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. If you're not sure if you got it when you were a baby, talk to your doctor. They can check if you had it using a blood test.

Below is a full list of people who should get the hepatitis B vaccine.

The Australian Immunisation Handbook (ATAGI 2021) says these groups of people should get the hepatitis B vaccine:

  • Babies
  • Children and teenagers who have not had the vaccine before
  • People who are immunocompromised, including:
    • people living with HIV
    • dialysis patients and people with very poor kidney function
    • people about to get an organ transplant
    • people who have had a stem cell transplant.
  • People with other medical conditions, including:
    • people with chronic liver disease or hepatitis C
    • people who use certain blood products
    • people with developmental disabilities who attend day-care facilities.
  • People travelling to countries with higher levels of hepatitis B. 

The handbook says that if you are in one of the groups below, you should get tested to check whether you already had hepatitis B. If haven't had hepatitis B then you should get the vaccine.

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • People coming from countries with higher levels of hepatitis B
  • People who are more likely to get hepatitis B because of their job, eg:
    • people who work in any job that involves direct patient care, handling human tissue, blood or bodily fluids, or used needles and syringes
    • healthcare workers
    • police, members of the armed forces, emergency services staff, and correctional facility staff
    • funeral workers, embalmers
    • staff involved in the care of people with developmental disabilities
    • workers who carry out procedures that penetrate the skin, such as tattooists and body piercers
  • Sex industry workers.
  • Other groups:
    • household or other close contacts of people with hepatitis B
    • people who have had sex with people with hepatitis B
    • men who have sex with men
    • people who use drugs using needles
    • inmates of correctional facilities. 

How do you get the vaccine?

You can get the hepatitis B vaccine from your GP. You may also be able to get it from other health services. You can even get it at some schools or your workplace, but you should check first.

Most people need 3 doses of the vaccine over 6 months. You must get all of the doses to make sure you are safe from hepatitis B. The number of doses and time between each dose may vary because of:

  • your age
  • whether you have other health conditions
  • whether you are having the vaccine for travel
  • whether you need to have a faster hepatitis B course e.g. you're about to travel to a country with a high rate of hepatitis 

If you are at greater risk of getting hepatitis B, you should have a blood test before getting the vaccine. This will check whether you already have hepatitis B or if you are already immune.

Are there any side effects?

Most people don’t get any side effects from the vaccine. But some people feel pain in the spot where they had the vaccine. Some people also have a mild fever after getting it.

You cannot get hepatitis B from the vaccine.

How much does it cost?

The cost of the hepatitis B vaccine varies around the country. Some people can get the vaccine for free:

  • babies
  • people under 20 years old
  • refugees and humanitarian entrants
  • people who live with someone who has hepatitis B 

You will need to pay for the cost of seeing the doctor to get your vaccine, unless the doctor bulk bills.

 

 

Hepatitis B symptoms

  • Many people with hepatitis B don't feel or look sick.

  • You can still get liver disease or liver cancer even if you don't feel sick.

  • You should get liver check-ups even if you feel ok. You will need to keep getting the check-ups to make sure your liver is ok.


Most people who get hepatitis B as adults get better in a few weeks or months. We call this acute hepatitis B. Some people feel like they are getting better, but the virus stays in their liver. These people have chronic hepatitis B. The younger you are when you get hepatitis B, the more likely you are to get chronic hepatitis B. Most people who have this form of hepatitis B got it from birth or when they were young children.

Signs of acute hepatitis B

Most infants and children do not show any signs that they have acute hepatitis B.

Among adults, about half will show signs of illness, such as:

  • feeling less hungry
  • muscle and joint pain
  • low-grade fever
  • stomach (belly) pain under the right lower ribs
  • feeling sick in the stomach and vomiting
  • yellowish eyes and skin (also known as jaundice) 

The signs might be very mild and may not last very long. If you do become sick or have any concerns, you should seek medical help straight away. This is because it can be life-threatening.

Signs of chronic hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis B means you have hepatitis B that doesn't go away. It stays with you during your life. Many people with chronic hepatitis B don't have any signs of illness. When they do have signs, these could be the same as acute hepatitis B.

You might feel healthy if you have chronic hepatitis B, but it can still badly damage your liver. Some of the things that can happen to your liver over time are:

  • liver scarring (we call this fibrosis). This means your liver becomes hard and does not work as well
  • cirrhosis (severe liver scarring) from ongoing liver damage. This can lead to the liver not working well
  • liver failure, which means your liver stops working
  • liver cancer. You can get liver cancer even if you don't have any signs. This is more likely for certain people. Read more about who has a high risk of liver cancer. People who are in this ‘high risk’ category are offered a screening test every six months. The test is a painless ultrasound of the liver. You might also get an extra blood test. 

You are at higher risk of liver cancer if you:

  • have cirrhosis
  • have a family history of liver cancer
  • are an Asian man over 40 years old
  • are an Asian woman over 50 years old
  • are Sub-Saharan African over 20 years old
  • are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander over 50 years old

The only way to know if you have hepatitis B is to get a blood test through your doctor. Talk to your doctor if you have any signs of hepatitis B or think you could have it. There are lots of reasons you might need a test for hepatitis B, based on your background or past.

If you have hepatitis B, it is important to keep seeing your doctor to get your liver check-ups. You should do this even if you don’t have any signs of illness.

 

Do I need to get tested for hepatitis B?

  • The only way to know if you have hepatitis B is by having a blood test.
  • 1 in 3 people living with chronic hepatitis B don’t know that they have it.
  • Without medicine or getting checked, up to 1 in 4 people with chronic hepatitis B will die. This could be from liver cancer or liver failure.
  • If you test negative for hepatitis B, you should think about getting vaccinated

If you are showing symptoms of hepatitis B, you should get tested. But many people have hepatitis B without showing any symptoms, and they feel fine. Some people are more likely to have hepatitis B, and should get tested even if they feel healthy.

 

On this page

 

Who should get tested for hepatitis B?

These groups of people should get tested for hepatitis B:

  • families, partners and people who live with someone who has hepatitis B
  • people born in one of the regions coloured orange in the map below
  • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people
  • pregnant women
  • babies and children older than nine months born to mothers who have hepatitis B
  • people about to have cancer medicine, immunosuppressive medicine or dialysis
  • health professionals who carry out exposure-prone procedures
  • members of the armed forces
  • people who have HIV or hepatitis C
  • people with multiple sexual partners who have not had the vaccine
  • people who have ever used drugs with a needle
  • people who have ever been to prison
  • men who have sex with men
  • sex workers
  • some people who have signs of liver damage
  • people with a family history of liver disease or a type of liver cancer

 
Regions with moderate to high prevalence of hepatitis B

People born in orange shaded countries should get tested for hepatitis B.

How can I get tested?

Ask your doctor for a hepatitis B test

Hepatitis B tests are not part of normal blood tests - you have to ask. Your doctor can tell you if you’ve had a hepatitis B test before. Your GP will do a blood test. This will tell them if you have hepatitis B. If you don’t have it, the test will also tell them whether you are immune.

There are many types of tests for hepatitis B. You can tell your doctor about this tool to help them find the right test for you: https://ashm.org.au/products/product/1976963402

Interpreter services

If you need help talking to your doctor, you can have an interpreter come to your doctor visit. They can also translate over the phone. This is a free service through TIS (Translating and Interpreting Service) National. You should tell the doctor’s clinic that you will need an interpreter when you make your booking.

Family and friends can be good for support when you are seeing a doctor. But it’s a good idea to get a professional interpreter. Making choices about your health can be hard. So it’s important that you’re able to understand everything. This can help to make the best choice for you. TIS National interpreters are professionals and have lots of experience with complex information.

Website: www.tisnational.gov.au
Phone 131 450 to get a phone interpreter for the cost of a local call.


Understanding test results

This list shows types of blood tests your doctor will do to test for hepatitis B.

Test What this shows
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) This shows if you have hepatitis B right now.
Hepatitis B core antibody
(HBcAb or anti-HBc)		 This shows if you have ever had hepatitis B
Hepatitis B surface antibody
(HBsAb or anti-HBs)		 This shows whether you are immune to hepatitis B

 
A hepatitis B test could show one of four results:

  Negative (Immune)

You are immune to hepatitis B and you cannot get it.
 

 Negative (Not immune)

You have never had hepatitis B and never had the vaccine. You can ask your doctor about getting the vaccine. This will protect you from getting it in the future.
 

 Cleared (Immune)

You have had hepatitis B in the past, but your body got rid of it. You should think about telling your family, partner and people you live with so they can get tested. If you are worried about telling them, your doctor can do it. Or you can use the resources at www.letthemknow.org.au
 
Sometimes people that once had hepatitis B can get sick again. We call this a flare up. This can happen if you take cancer medicine or other medicine that weakens your immune system.

Positive

The blood test can help the doctor decide whether you have acute or chronic hepatitis. Chronic means you will have it for life. But there are things you can do to help you stay healthy.

Hepatitis B can cause:

  • Cirrhosis (severe liver scarring)
  • Liver disease
  • Liver cancer

There is no cure for chronic hepatitis B. But you can take medicine to slow down or even stop the liver damage. Taking medicine can also make you less likely to get liver disease.

If you came into contact to the virus not long ago, you’ll need to get tested again in six months. This will show if your hepatitis B has become chronic.

You should:

  • Test family, partners and people you live with
  • Eat healthy food, exercise and reduce alcohol and cigarette consumption
  • Get liver tests
  • See your doctor every 6 to 12 months
  • Get treatment if needed

If you have come into contact with the virus and are not immune, you can have an injection of hepatitis B immunoglobulin. This is a medicine that makes you less likely to get hepatitis B. You’ll need to take this within 72 hours of coming into contact with the virus. You can get this medicine from:

  • Your local doctor
  • Family planning clinic
  • Sexual health clinic
  • Local public hospital

You can also ask the doctor about a hepatitis B vaccine during this visit.

Liver tests

When you test positive for hepatitis B, your doctor will need to do some tests to check how well your liver is working.

They’ll also check for liver cancer. This means you will have blood tests. You might also have an ultrasound or a Fibroscan. The ultrasound and Fibroscan are painless. The ultrasound lets the doctor look for damage in the liver. The Fibroscan uses vibrations to see how stiff the liver is.


This will help your doctor decide if you need to start taking medicine.

What to do after diagnosis

Being diagnosed with hepatitis B can feel overwhelming, but you’re not alone and there are simple steps you can take to look after your health. This page explains what to do next.

The most common way hepatitis B spreads is from mother to baby. It also spreads through blood-to-blood contact or sex without a condom. You should think about telling your family, partners and people you live with that you have hepatitis B. This is so they can get tested and protect themselves by getting the vaccine.

Having hepatitis B does not mean you can’t have a family. You can still do things like sharing meals with your family and friends. The best way your family and friends can protect themselves is by getting
the vaccine.

Your doctor can tell them if you are worried about telling them. Find out more about telling people you have hepatitis B.

You cannot get hepatitis B through:

  • hugging or kissing
  • sharing food and eating utensils
  • eating food made by someone with hep b
  • insect or animal bites, including mosquitoes
  • sharing bathrooms, showers or toilets
  • coughing or sneezing.

There are ways to stop hepatitis B from spreading from mother to child. When the baby is born they should get two injections. Your baby has these 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 vaccination. 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. Together this can protect the baby against the virus.

Taking treatment for hepatitis B also lowers the chance your baby will get hepatitis B. This is safe to do when you are pregnant.

It's a good idea to take care of your body by:

  • eating healthy food
  • exercising
  • drinking less alcohol (no alcohol is best)
  • not smoking

Alcohol, cigarettes and being overweight can damage your liver. This can be bad because hepatitis B can also damage your liver. Talk to your doctor if you need help making healthy changes. You can also use one of these support services:

It’s a good idea to visit your doctor at least every twelve months.

Your doctor may also ask you to visit more often. People with hepatitis B often feel well. If you wait until you feel sick, you might have liver damage already. This might not go away. The only way to know is to keep getting your liver checked.

When you go to your doctor for a liver check-up, they will do some tests to check for damage to your liver. This helps to work out if you need to start or change treatment. It is best to get a liver check-up at least once a year, or more often if your doctor advises it.

There are different tests to check on the effects of hepatitis B.

  • Viral load test (HBV DNA)

    Hepatitis B viral load tests measure how much of the virus is in your blood. This is important because a high viral load means you are more likely to pass it on to someone else. It's also more likely to cause damage to your liver.

    These tests help decide if you need to start or change treatment.

  • Liver Function Tests

    Liver function tests are blood tests that measure the amount of certain proteins and enzymes in your blood. Their levels tell the doctor how your liver is doing.

    Liver function tests help to decide if you need to start treatment. They also figure out how well your current treatment is working.

  • Ultrasound

    Ultrasounds can check if there is anything wrong in your liver, like cancer. Getting ultrasounds often can mean anything strange in your liver gets found sooner and is easier to fix.

    An ultrasound scan creates a real-time picture of the inside of the body using sound waves. Ultrasounds do not hurt. Ultrasound works differently to x-ray in that it does not use radiation.

  • Fibroscan® (transient elastography)

    FibroScan® is a tool that uses vibration to look at how much fibrosis (scarring) is on your liver. But keep in mind you can't get it everywhere in Australia.

    If you get a FibroScan®, you lie down on your back with your right arm above your head. Then your doctor will place the scanner on your skin over where your liver is. You will feel a gentle pulse or tap while it scans your liver. It's checking for liver stiffness. The test takes about 10 minutes and does not hurt.

    The Fibroscan® can:

    • see how much liver scarring there is
    • track if your liver health is getting better or worse
    • work out if you need to start or change treatment

If the virus starts causing damage to your liver, there are medicines you can take to manage your health. This can slow down liver damage and make you less likely to get liver disease.

You might need to visit your doctor more often when you start taking medicine.

Did you know?
The liver doesn’t have any nerves that feel pain. But you can feel pain when the liver stretches. This is because there is a bag of tissue around the liver that can feel pain. This is partly why you might not feel sick until you have serious liver damage.

Not everyone with hepatitis B needs to take medicine. This is because the virus goes through different phases.

During some phases, the virus can be very active and damage your liver. When you visit your doctor for a liver check, they’ll do a blood test. The tests will tell them how active the virus is. This will help them decide if you need to take medicine. It may be helpful to note that the phases of hepatitis B do not always run in order.

Your doctor may use different terms to refer to the phases:

  1. Silent (Phase 1) - Immune tolerance
    The hepatitis B virus is multiplying but usually there is no active liver damage. People whose hepatitis B is in this phase should get checked every 6 to 12. If you are in this phase you are very likely to spread it to others.
     
  2. Damage (Phase 2) - Immune clearance
    Hepatitis B virus is attacking the immune system and it is fighting back. The liver is getting damaged. More chance of scarring, cirrhosis and liver cancer. You should see a specialist as you may need medicine.
  3. Control (Phase 3) - Immune control
    Immune system has virus under control and there is no further liver damage. People whose hepatitis B is in this phase should get checked every 6 to 12 months

  4. Control (Phase 3) - Immune escape
    Virus is active again and causing liver damage. More chance of scarring, cirrhosis and liver cancer. You should see a specialist as you may need medicine.

The most common medicines for treating hepatitis B are antiviral tablets. You take these every day for the long term, as told by your doctor.

Sometimes you might be able to get hepatitis B medicine from your GP. But other times you might need to see a liver specialist.

Hepatitis B medicine

  • Getting medicine for chronic hepatitis B helps you keep healthy. But it can't get rid of the virus.
  • Not all people with hepatitis B will need to take medicines.
  • Getting liver check-ups helps to work out if you need medicine for hepatitis B

On this page

Overview

Medicines for hepatitis B help you live well with the virus. They are not a cure. But they will make you much less likely to get liver disease or liver cancer. Many people who have chronic hepatitis B do not have any signs of liver damage, and will not need medicine. It is important to watch for liver damage by getting liver check-ups every 6 to 12 months.

If you have signs of liver damage you should think about taking medicines for hepatitis B. There are lots of reasons why you might decide to do this. Talk to your doctor about whether starting treatment is right for you.

There are a few options for medicines that treat chronic hepatitis B. You can get them through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). So if you have a Medicare card, you can get them at low cost.

What medicines treat hepatitis B?

The most common medicines for hepatitis B are antiviral tablets. You take these every day for a year or longer. The most common ones used in Australia are:

  • Entecavir (Baraclude® and others)
  • Tenofovir (Viread®)

Both are very good at treating hepatitis B. But you need to take them every day, or they won't work. If you stop and start taking the pills, they are less likely to work. While you are taking them, you will need to keep seeing your doctor. This is to check the medicine is working and that you are not having any side effects. The check-ups are usually every 3 months in the first year, then every 6 months after that.

A less common option is pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN). This means having an injection once a week, for 48 weeks. It is an option for people with some forms of hepatitis B. But for some people it has a lot of side effects.

Who needs to take medicine?

Not everyone who has hepatitis B needs to take medicine. But this can change over time. Some people may not need medicines at the start, but need them later on. So it's important that you keep getting liver check-ups. Your doctor will tell you if you need to start taking medicine. This can depend on many things.

Some of the things that help your doctor decide whether you should start treatment are:

  • what phase the hepatitis B virus is in
  • whether your liver tests show certain enzymes
  • whether your liver shows scarring or swelling
  • if you have someone in your family with liver cancer or liver scarring

What does hepatitis B medicine do?

The medicines work by slowing down or stopping the multiplying of hepatitis B virus in the body. This greatly lowers your chance of getting serious liver disease. In some cases it even allows your liver to fix some of the damage so it works better. It is very unlikely that any of these medicines will cure hepatitis B. But you still need to keep taking them to keep your liver healthy.

Download this factsheet

 

Treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection, B Positive, ASHM

What is Hepatitis B?, All Good, ASHM

Hep B Story, Menzies School of Health Research

Chronic Hepatitis B Phases, Hepatitis Queensland

 

Pregnancy and hepatitis B

  • The most common way people get hepatitis B is through birth.
  • Hepatitis B does not spread through breast milk.
  • Your baby can be protected by getting the hepatitis B vaccine at birth.

If you are pregnant and have hepatitis B, you should talk to your doctor. The most common way people get hepatitis B is through birth, but 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. 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.  

Visa and Migration FAQ

This page is intended as a general guide for individuals living with hepatitis B, people who know someone living with or affected by hepatitis B, or those looking for general information on visa resources relating to hepatitis B. It is recommended that you talk to a registered migration agent or lawyer about your particular situation and to obtain tailored advice. Additionally, individuals should speak with their healthcare provider for clinical advice on managing hepatitis B and to ensure they receive appropriate medical care.

The information is correct at the time of publication (August 2024; last reviewed January 2025) but may be subject to change. This publication is made available on the understanding that, as a result of providing this information, the authors or organisations are not engaged in providing professional advice.

PDF language resources: 

 
On this page

 

Australian Defence Force: The military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests.1

Bupa Medical Visa Services: A health service that operates medical centres around Australia on behalf of Immigration Departments to provide health examinations to visa applicants.2

Department of Home Affairs: The Australian Government interior ministry with responsibilities for national security, protective services, emergency management, border control, immigration, refugees, citizenship, transport security and multicultural affairs.3

Dependent Visa: (Sometimes referred to as a family visa) is a specific type of visa which allows for family members to join you if you are coming to Australia to work or study on a temporary basis.4

Exposure-Prone Procedures: Procedures where there is a risk of injury to the HCW resulting in exposure of the patient’s open tissues to the blood of the HCW.5

Healthcare Worker (HCW): Someone who delivers care and services to the sick and ailing either directly as doctors and nurses or indirectly as aides, helpers, laboratory technicians, or even medical waste handlers.6

Hepatitis B Virus: is an infection that may cause inflammation of the liver, cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. 7

Hepatitis B Voices Australia: The first hepatitis B community-led organisation that is wholly led by people affected by hepatitis B in Australia.8

Legal Advice: The giving of a professional or formal opinion regarding the substance or procedure of the law in relation to a particular factual situation.9,10

Liver Transplant: A surgery to replace a damaged liver with a functioning liver from another person/donor.11

LiverWELL: A non-profit-organisation that works to support individuals affected by or at risk of viral hepatitis and liver disease.12

Medical Practitioner: An individual who practices a health profession (e.g., doctors) and is registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law.13

One Fails, All Fail: A requirement that states that all applicants under the family unit must meet the health criteria. If one member of a family unit does not meet the health criteria (either PIC 4005 or 4007, depending on the visa subclass), the entire application will be refused.

Permanent Visa: A type of visa which allows the holder to remain indefinitely.14

Private Health Insurance: A policy that covers some of the costs of treatment in clinics or hospitals as a private patient. It can also help pay for healthcare costs that Medicare doesn’t cover.15

Prescription: An instruction written by a medical practitioner that authorizes a patient to be issued with a medicine or treatment.16

S100 Prescriber: A general practitioner, community-based medical practitioner, or nurse practitioner who has completed the hepatitis B S100 Prescriber Course to be accredited to prescribe S100 medication for the treatment of hepatitis B virus.17

Temporary Visa: A type of visa that allows the holder to either stay for a specified period, stay until a specified event happens, or stay while the holder has a specified status.18

Viral Load: The amount of virus that is in the blood of a person who is living with hepatitis B/ hepatitis C.19


Visa Health Requirements

Most of the visa applicants are required to meet health requirements imposed by Australian migration law for the issue of a visa or other migration status. The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for visa processing. It also includes determining if the costs associated with treating and supporting a person living with the health condition will result in a ‘significant cost’ to the Australian community or prejudice access to services for current Australian citizens and permanent residents. If the estimated costs of health or community services exceed the ‘significant cost threshold’ the government may refuse a visa application. Additionally, as part of the health requirements, the Department of Home Affairs will assess whether an individual poses a public health risk to the Australian community. There are processes in place for reviewing decisions related to visa applications, and a limited number of visas allow applicants to apply for a ‘waiver’ of the health requirement.

 
About Visa Health Requirements and Hepatitis B

Previously, the costs associated with the treatment of hepatitis B meant that historically some applicants living with hepatitis B were refused a visa. However, recent changes to the cost threshold and a reduction in the cost of hepatitis B medication in Australia mean that most applicants living with hepatitis B, including those on treatment, should no longer fail the visa health requirement due to their hepatitis B status and expected costs of treatment. Applicants are still required to meet all other visa criteria.

Generally, hepatitis B is NOT considered a public health threat to the Australian community according to migration law. However, applicants intending to study or work as a doctor, nurse, dentist or paramedic
(healthcare workers) may be required to provide additional information and/or meet additional requirements when applying for a visa (see below: ‘I have hepatitis B and I am planning to study in Australia. Will this impact my visa application?’)

While these changes are generally positive for applicants living with hepatitis B, the department consider a wide range of health conditions as relevant to the assessment of the health requirement. This means that applicants living with hepatitis B who are also living with other health conditions, or whose hepatitis B requires complex management may not meet the relevant health requirements.
 

 
Visa Requirements – FAQ
 

Most applicants living with hepatitis B will not fail the health requirement when applying for a temporary visa
to Australia due to their hepatitis B status and expected costs of treatment. As mentioned by the Department of Home Affairs, in some circumstances, there may be additional steps or requirements for temporary visa applicants living with hepatitis B who are planning to study or work as a healthcare worker, including as a doctor, nurse, dentist, or paramedic.

(See below section ‘I have hepatitis B and I am planning to study in Australia. Will this impact my visa application?’)

Most applicants living with hepatitis B should not fail the health requirement when applying for permanent residency. This includes people living with hepatitis B that require treatment.
However, visa health requirements consider a wide range of health conditions as relevant to its assessment. This means that applicants living with hepatitis B who also have other health conditions, or whose hepatitis B requires complex management, may not meet the relevant health requirements.

Therefore, it is essential for applicants to obtain tailored advice from a registered migration agent or lawyer about what impact their hepatitis B and any other health conditions may have on their visa application. It is always important to discuss an appropriate plan/strategy for visa applications and pathways to permanent residency before applying for a visa.

A diagnosis of hepatitis B should not lead to the cancellation of your current visa or affect your stay in Australia. However, it is important to emphasize that if you have hepatitis B, receiving regular care is important to protect your health. Early diagnosis and ongoing management can significantly reduce the risk of serious complications, such as cirrhosis or end-stage liver disease. Avoiding diagnosis and care can increase these health risks. Therefore, it’s essential to get regular medical care to maintain your health and well-being.

If an applicant with chronic hepatitis B develops end-stage liver disease and is likely to require a liver transplant, their visa application may exceed the ‘significant cost threshold.’ Additionally, it raises concerns about equitable access to limited medical resources, such as liver transplants from deceased donors, which could impact availability for Australian patients.

For more information, please visit Hepatitis B and Immigration.

All people included in the visa application are required to meet the relevant health requirement. In some cases, non-migrating family members may also be asked to undergo a health assessment and meet the relevant health requirement. Although it is unusual for a non-migrating family member to be asked to undertake a health assessment you may wish to seek advice about any impact this may have on your visa application. If one member of a family unit does not meet the health requirement, the application will be refused. This is known as the ‘one fails, all fail’ policy.

As noted above, a family member living with hepatitis B is unlikely to fail the health requirement due to their hepatitis B status alone. However, visa health requirements consider a wide range of health conditions as relevant to its assessment. (For more information about hepatitis B and the health requirements, please see “What other reasons could lead to a visa rejection for someone with hepatitis B?” above).

Generally, applicants living with hepatitis B will not be refused a visa due to their hepatitis B status.

However, applicants intending to study to become a healthcare worker that perform exposure prone procedures (doctors, nurses, dentists, paramedics) may be required to do additional health examinations and/or provide additional information to the Department of Home Affairs. You may be asked to provide a statement from your employer or educational institution stating that you will not be undertaking exposure-prone procedures.

As long as you are complying with the requirements of the Australian National Guidelines, you should not be prevented from pursuing study or employment as a healthcare worker in Australia, even if you are living with hepatitis B. It is strongly advised that applicants in these circumstances obtain advice from a registered migration agent or lawyer that has experience in health-related visa matters.

For more information, please visit CDNA National Guidelines.

 

 
About Health Examinations

All permanent visa applicants and some temporary visa applicants will be required to undergo a health examination. The specific tests required depend on various factors, including the type of visa applied for (e.g., the applicant’s intended work or study), the length of the visa, the country the applicant is migrating from, the applicant’s age, and the information provided to the Department of Home Affairs in the visa application. The health examination may include:

  • Urine test
  • Blood pressure check
  • Blood test (TB screening test, HIV test, Hepatitis B and C tests, and a Syphilis test)
  • Eyesight – read letters from a chart
  • Weight and Height– to determine your body mass index (BMI)
  • Heart check
  • Reflexes check – on the legs
  • Ears and throatLumps underarms and belly
  • Chest X-ray

For more information, please visit What health examinations you need.

 

 
Health Examinations - FAQ
 

Generally, short-term temporary residence visas, such as tourist visas, will not require a health examination. There are some exceptions to this, for example, if you are over the age of 75 or if you intend to stay in Australia for the next 6 to 12 months.

The health examination and the types of tests required depend on the type and length of your visa, country of origin, age, and the details in your visa application. You will be notified if a health examination is needed after you submit your application.

It is important to answer any questions honestly during a visa application process, and not to provide any misleading or false information to the department. Some questions may ask you directly about any health conditions you are living with while others may ask about any healthcare services you intend on accessing while in Australia related to a health condition. Before lodging an application, advice should be sought from a registered migration agent or lawyer. It is recommended that a person living with hepatitis B should discuss/disclose their condition and other significant information to their lawyer or migration agent so that they can provide accurate advice.

For more information, please visit Who do you have to tell? at hepatitisaustralia.com

Medical tests for Australian temporary and permanent residency can be undertaken in Australia or at approved locations in other countries. If an applicant lives in Australia, you must undergo testing through the authorised migration-related health examination provider (currently this is Bupa Medical Visa Services). If an applicant needs to undergo a health examination outside Australia, it is required that the examination be conducted by one of the Department of Home Affairs’ approved panel physicians or clinics at approved locations outside Australia.

For more information, please visit Meeting our health requirement at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

If you are in Australia on a visa, you can access care for yourself and your baby during pregnancy, birth, and afterwards. However, the cost will depend on your visa type and the coverage of your private health insurance.

If you have hepatitis B and are pregnant, it is important to see your doctor early to monitor your liver health, viral load, and assess if treatment is needed. Discussing your health condition with your midwife or doctor will help manage hepatitis B and ensure both you and your baby stay healthy.

It is strongly advised that applicants in these circumstances seek advice from a registered migration agent or lawyer to discuss about disclosing they are pregnant before submitting the application, as the applicant or dependent may be required to sign a pregnancy health undertaking if a health examination is needed.

For more information, please visit Hepatitis B, Pregnancy and Babies, Pregnancy Health Undertaking, Me, my baby and hepatitis B at svhm.org.au

 

 
Medication - FAQ
 

Australia has strict regulations regarding the importation of medications, so it is essential to be aware of the rules to avoid any issues at immigration. Customs will not prevent you from bringing your hepatitis B medication into Australia if it aligns with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) guidelines and you correctly declare it upon arrival.

It is important to make sure you have a valid prescription for your medication. It should be in English and include details such as your name, the name of the medication (e.g. Entecavir or Tenofovir) dosage instructions, and your doctor’s contact information. Additionally, having a letter from your doctor explaining the medical necessity of the medication may be helpful. It should include details about your condition, the need for the specific medication, and the prescribed dosage. Alternatively, if the medication is not restricted in Australia a maximum of 3 months’ supply can be imported from overseas.

For more information, please visit Entering Australia at tga.gov.au

You cannot use a prescription provided by a medical practitioner from your own country to purchase medication in Australia. If you have run out of hepatitis B medication (eg. entecavir or tenofovir) or need medication during your stay in Australia, you may visit an Australian approved general medical practitioner (known as s100 prescribers) or specialist physician to obtain a valid Australian prescription. The prescription can be used to purchase medication from Australian pharmacies.

For more information, please visit Travelling to or from Australia with medicines and medical devices, Personal Importation Scheme at odc.gov.au
To find an S100 prescriber, please visit Prescriber Programs at ashm.org.au

After arriving in Australia, to manage your hepatitis B care, you should:

  • Find a local health care provider who can help manage your hepatitis B and monitor your health. In Australia, hepatitis B care can be provided by a GP or a specialist.
  • Schedule regular appointments for hepatitis B monitoring, including blood tests, liver function tests, and ultrasounds if needed, as advised by your healthcare provider.
  • If you are currently on treatment, don’t interrupt or stop taking your hepatitis B medication unless you have been advised to by a health care provider.
  • Reach out to local support groups or community organizations for additional resources and support, including LiverWELL, Hepatitis B Voices Australia, and other support organizations.

For more information, please visit LiverWELL, Hepatitis B Voices Australia, HepBCommunity.org

 

 

Working in Australia - FAQ
 

For most jobs, there is no need to disclose to your employer or colleagues that you are living with hepatitis B. However, there are a small number of professions that may require you to disclose your status or undergo a blood test. These include:

  • If you are a healthcare worker performing exposure-prone procedures (EPPs).
  • If you work for or are applying to join the Australian Defence Force.

Some jobs may also require you to provide evidence that you have been immunized for hepatitis B. If you are already living with chronic hepatitis B, you should consult with a doctor regarding this requirement. They can write a supporting letter to your employer explaining the minimal risks associated with your condition and confirming your suitability for the job.

If you are denied employment or are dismissed by an employer because of your hepatitis B status, you should seek appropriate legal advice or consider filing a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). The AHRC offers a free complaint process that doesn’t require legal representation and may include mediation as part of the resolution process.

For more information, please visit Know your rights or Your rights and responsibilities.
To file a complaint, visit The complaint process for complaints about sex, race, disability and age discrimination.

Healthcare workers living with hepatitis B may be required to provide additional information to the Department of Home Affairs if intending to work in Australia. It’s important to note that a hepatitis B infection alone does not automatically disqualify someone from working as a healthcare worker, or from working in a role where they perform EPPs. However, the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) guidelines must be followed. Presently, healthcare workers living with hepatitis B are permitted to perform EPPs if their viral load is below 200 IU/mL, and they meet the criteria set out in relevant policies and guidelines.

For more information, please visit CDNA National Guidelines.

 

Legal Advice

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (02) 9492 6540
For more information, please visit HALC

 

 

  1. Australian Government Department of Defence. Organisation Structure. Accessed July, 2024.  https://www.defence.gov.au/about/who-we-are/organisation-structure 
  2. Bupa Medical Visa Services. Need a Visa Medical Assessment? You're in the right place. Accessed July, 2024. https://www.bupa.com.au/bupamvs 
  3. Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. Who we are.  Accessed July, 2024.   https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/ 
  4. Think Visa. Dependent Visa Australia. Updated April 11, 2024. Accessed July, 2024. https://www.thinkvisa.com.au/australia-immigration-trends/dependent-visa-australia#:~:text=A%20Dependent%20Visa%20Australia%20is%20a%20visa%20ca tegory%20that%20enables,on%20the%20primary%20visa%20holder. 
  5. Communicable Diseases Network Australia. Guidance on classification of exposure-prone and non-exposure-prone procedures in Australia 2017. Updated March, 2020. Accessed July 2024. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/03/cdna-guidance-on-classification-of-exposure-prone-and-non-exposure-prone-procedures-in-australia-2017.pdf 
  6. Mohanty A, Kabi A, & Mohanty AP. Health problems in healthcare workers: A review. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 2019;8(8), 2568–2572. Accessed July, 2024. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_431_19 
  7. LiverWELL. What is hepatitis B? Updated October, 2024. Accessed January, 2025. https://liverwell.org.au/liver-conditions/hepatitis-b/what-is-hepatitis-b/ 
  8. Hepatitis B Voices Australia. About Us. Updated 2022. Accessed July, 2024. https://www.hepbvoices.au/about-us 
  9. Wikipedia. Legal Advice. Updated August, 2024. Accessed January, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_advice 
  10. Community Legal Centres Australia. Legal Advice. Updated 2022. Accessed July, 2024. https://clcs.org.au/services/data/discrete-services/legal-advice/#:~:text=Definition,an%20organisation%20or%20a%20group. 
  11. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Liver Transplant. Accessed July 2025.https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/liver-transplant

  12. LiverWELL. About Us. Update dOctorber, 2024. Accessed January, 2025. https://liverwell.org.au/about-us/organisation/ 
  13. Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the National Boards. Register of practitioners. Accessed July,2024. https://www.ahpra.gov.au/registration/registers-of-practitioners.aspx#:~:text=Protected%20titles%20and%20specialist%20titles,and%20professional%20standards%20of%20practice. 
  14. Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. Permanent Resident. Updated December 4, 2024. Accessed January,2025. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/permanent-resident#:~:text=%E2%80%8BYou%20can%20become%20a,to%20become%20an%20Australian%20citizen 
  15. Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. About private health insurance. Updated March 13, 2025. Accessed 2025.https://www.health.gov.au/topics/private-health-insurance/about-private-health-insurance 
  16. Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Aboutprescription. Updated March 5, 2024. AccessedJuly, 2024. https://www.health.gov.au/topics/medicines/about-prescriptions 
  17. ASHM Health.PrescriberProgram.Accessed  July 2024, https://ashm.org.au/prescriber-programs/ 
  18. Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. Temporary Activity Visa. Updated September 23, 2024. Accessed January 2025.https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-activity-408 
  19. Hepatitis Australia. Monitoring hepatitis B. Updated 2022. Accessed July, 2024. https://www.hepatitisaustralia.com/monitoring-hepatitis-b 

 

Reviewed by: Professor Benjamin Cowie, Associate Professor David Carter, Jennifer MacLachlan, Mielle Abbott , Rhys Evans, Hepatitis B Voices Australia.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to individuals with lived experience who generously contributed their time and insights to reviewing this resource and providing invaluable feedback.

FAQ

Below are common questions about hepatitis B. If your question is not answered, call HepLink on 1800 437 222 and they can help you.

Yes. Although most people get hepatitis B at birth, sex is one of the other ways it spreads. Hepatitis B spreads through blood, semen and some other liquids. This means it can spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom.

You can protect yourself against hepatitis B by using a condom. But the best way to protect yourself is by getting a vaccine.

Hepatitis B can't spread through normal hugging, kissing or sharing meals, showers or toilets with someone who has hepatitis B.

Find out more about hepatitis B and relationships

Find out more about hepatitis B vaccines

References

When Someone Close To You Has Chronic Hepatitis B. Department of Health & Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Updated: 7 November 2022

You are more likely to get liver cancer if you have both hepatitis B and diabetes. If you have hepatitis B, it's important to prevent or manage your diabetes. It's a good idea to talk to your doctor about looking after your health.

A healthy lifestyle is important for both hepatitis B and diabetes. To stay healthy you can:

  • eat healthy food
  • exercise
  • drink less alcohol (no alcohol is best)
  • stop smoking

References:

Hepatitis B Precautions for People Living with Diabetes., Hepatitis B Foundation.

Updated 7 November 2022

No. Hepatitis B doesn't spread through touching or saliva. You can only get hepatitis B from infected blood or some types of body fluids.

Most people get hepatitis B at birth or in early childhood. You can also get hepatitis B if you have sex without a condom or have an unsafe medical procedure.

Find out more about hepatitis B

References

Hepatitis B, All Good, ASHM

The biggest myths about hepatitis B uncovered, Haggan, M.

Updated 7 November 2022

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

No, you should continue from your last dose. You can have a blood test four weeks after the last dose of the vaccine to make sure you are immune.

Find out more about hepatitis B vaccinations

References

Hepatitis B Foundation. (n.d.). Vaccination. Retrieved from Hepatitis B Foundation.

Updated 2 December 2019

No. Hepatitis B does not spread through touching or saliva. You can only get hepatitis B from infected blood or some types of body fluids.

Most people get hepatitis B at birth or in early childhood. You can also get hepatitis B if you have sex without a condom or have an unsafe medical procedure.

Find out more about hepatitis B

References

Hepatitis B, All Good, ASHM

The biggest myths about hepatitis B uncovered, Haggan, M.

Updated 6 March 2023

How hepatitis B affects each person is varied and complex. Most of the time young children are much more likely to get chronic hepatitis B.

This table shows what is likely to happen. It depends on how old you are when you come into contact with hepatitis B.

Age exposed to hepatitis B

Acute hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis B

Infants
(under one year old)

Most will not get any acute hepatitis B signs

90% will get chronic (lifelong) hepatitis B

Young children
(aged one to six years old)

Most will not get any acute hepatitis B signs

30% will get chronic (lifelong) hepatitis B

Adults or older children
(over six years old)

Many will get acute hepatitis B signs

Less than 5% will get chronic (lifelong) hepatitis B

 

Find out more about hepatitis B vaccination

References

Hepatitis B. Retrieved from World Health Organization.

Updated 6 March 2023

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

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

Most of the time it is your choice whether or not to tell people if you have hepatitis B. You don't have to tell your doctor, dentist, or people who work in tattoo and piercing parlours. This is because these places have rules in place to stop the spread of viruses.

It's a good idea to tell your partner, family and people you live with. This means they can get tested for hepatitis B. If they don't have it they can protect themselves by getting a vaccine.

Sometimes you must tell people that you have hepatitis B. You must tell people:

  • before giving blood. You can't give blood if you have chronic hepatitis B. If you no longer have hepatitis B you need to wait at least 12 months after clearing it. Let the blood bank know.
  • when applying for insurance. This could be for life insurance and some other types. This is because your health might change whether or not they decide to insure you.
  • members of the Australian Defence Force, including Navy, Army and Air Forces. If you apply to join the Australian Defence Force you will get tested for hepatitis B.
  • if you are a healthcare worker who carries out exposure-prone procedures (EPPs). These are healthcare workers who could come into contact with sharp instruments or tissues (such as splinters of bone or teeth) inside a person’s body. Most often this applies to surgeons and dentists. Most healthcare workers do not do EPPs. You can get more advice about this on the Department of Health website.
  • when applying for a visa to live in Australia. Everything you say in your application form must be true. Sometimes you may need to have a hepatitis B test if you are applying to live in Australia.
  • If you wish to donate organs or sperm. They will test you for hepatitis B before you can donate organs or sperm. Some people with hepatitis B can still donate but others can't. 

Find out more about your rights and responsibilities living with hepatitis B

References

Hepatitis B, All Good, ASHM

I had hepatitis - can I donate? Australian Red Cross Blood Service

CDNA National Guidelines for healthcare workers on managing bloodborne viruses, Department of Health and Aged Care

Updated 7 November 2022

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

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

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

Without treatment you may be at greater risk of developing serious liver disease or liver cancer. One in four people with chronic hepatitis B will die as a result of the condition. However, because the virus goes through different phases, it is not always damaging your liver. In some people the hepatitis B virus is there but it is not causing any damage - it is sleeping. It can stay sleeping for a long time, but it can also wake up at any time and start causing damage to your liver.

This is why not everyone with hepatitis B needs treatment. But, if the virus wakes up and starts damaging your liver, you may need to start treatment. Generally, as people living with hepatitis B age, the likelihood of liver damage and need for antiviral treatment increases.

It’s very important to get regular liver check-ups (every six months) to determine if and when you need treatment.

Find out more about hepatitis B treatment

Find out more about liver checks for hepatitis B

References:

ASHM. (2014). B Positive: All you wanted to know about hepatitis B. Darlinghurst, NSW: ASHM.

Cancer Council Victoria. (n.d.). Hepatitis and liver cancer. Retrieved from Cancer Council Victoria.

Updated 11 December 2020

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 you don’t know whether or not you are immune, your doctor can do a blood test to check.

Most babies born in Australia after 1 May 2000 had the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. They would have also had a few follow-up doses. Children who were at high school after this date may also have had the vaccine. This may have been through a school catch-up immunisation program.

Find out more about vaccination against hepatitis B

References

Hepatitis B serology, Australian Family Physician

Updated 6 March 2023

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are different types of virus that damage your liver. They both spread through blood. But people get these two types of viruses in different ways. The treatment for them varies too.

Hepatitis B spreads through blood and some body fluids. Most people get hepatitis B at birth or in early childhood. You can also get hepatitis B if you have sex without a condom or have unsafe medical procedures. There is a vaccine for hepatitis B, but you can't get rid of it completely. There is treatment that works really well. This lowers the amount of damage to your liver.

Hepatitis C spreads through the blood. Most people in Australia get hepatitis C by taking drugs with a needle. But you can also get it by getting a tattoo by someone who is not a proper tattoo artist. You can get it as well through unsafe medical procedures and vaccination programs, or anal sex without a condom. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. But there are medicines that work well to get rid of it.

Both hepatitis B and hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver disease and liver cancer.

Find out more about hepatitis B

Find out more about hepatitis C

References

Hepatitis B, All Good, ASHM

Hepatitis C, All Good, ASHM

Updated 14 March 2023

You can get the hepatitis B vaccine from your local doctor.

Infants will usually get the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine at the hospital before they are discharged.

You may also be able to get hepatitis B vaccines from:

  • your local council or community health clinics
  • Aboriginal medical services
  • school-based immunisation programs
  • travel medical clinics
  • sexual health clinics
  • prison health centres
  • pharmacies
  • aged care facilities.

You should check with these providers whether they are able to provide the hepatitis B vaccine and how much it will cost. Some people, including infants and children, can get the hepatitis B vaccine for free.

Remember, the vaccine involves up to three injections over several appointments to ensure immunity against hepatitis B is achieved.

Find out more vaccination against hepatitis B

References

Department of Health. (2018, July 2). Where can I get immunised.

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

References

Blood tests during pregnancy, Pregnancy, birth & baby

Blood testing and safety. Australian Red Cross.

Hepatitis B Resources

 
If you need resources in other languages, please visit "In your language".

BROWSE BY TOPIC

Your rights and responsibilities: Living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C

In Australia there are laws that protect you from discrimination. Read about the rights you have as someone living with hepatitis B.
Cirrhosis

Living with cirrhosis

This resource explains what can happen when you have cirrhosis. It will also tell you how you can look after yourself and live well with cirrhosis.
Liver monitoring

Monitoring hepatitis B

This resource teaches you about the tests used to monitor the effects of hepatitis B
Testing

Hepatitis B Pathways: Information or patients (Video)

This short video provides information on the process from getting tested for hepatitis B, to living well with hepatitis B.
Treatment

Who can give me care for hepatitis B?

This resource is for people who have hepatitis B. It will tell you about the different types of doctors that can treat hepatitis B.
Liver monitoring

Liver monitoring for hepatitis B (Video)

This video was developed in consultation with people living with hepatitis B and reflects some of their experiences with the disease.
Testing Treatment

Hepatitis B Guide

A guide to hepatitis B: Testing, treatment and staying healthy
Treatment

Treatment for hepatitis B

Some people with hepatitis B may need to take medicine to stay healthy. Learn about treatment.

ON THIS PAGE

1800 437 222 (1800 HEP ABC)

For free and localised viral hepatitis information and support services.

Visit website

 

Living with Hepatitis B Blog

Our hepatitis B blog offers clear, easy-to-read articles that help answer common questions about living with hepatitis B.

Go to Hepatitis B blog
Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B and relationships

March 19, 2025

Having HBV is only a small facet of who you are, and not a reason to give up on a...
Hepatitis B Hepatitis C

Spitting is gross, but it doesn’t spread hepatitis B or C

September 04, 2022

If you have recently seen news stories about hepatitis B or C being spread from spitting, read on to get...
Hepatitis B Hepatitis C

No, you’re not being tested for hepatitis as part of a routine blood test

June 17, 2020

Many people think that because they’ve had a blood test, they will have automatically been tested for hepatitis B and...
Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B and mental health

May 19, 2020

People with chronic hepatitis B have higher rates of depression and anxiety than the general population.1 Let’s have a look...
Go to Hepatitis B blog

Help us eliminate viral hepatitis in Australia

Every donation brings us closer to a future free from viral hepatitis. Your support helps us provide vital education, testing, treatment access, and advocacy for people living with or at risk of viral hepatitis.

Donate Today

Subscribe to get the latest from Hepatitis Australia