Thanks @ThomasTu for creating this community and all other active contributors to serve for this community. May god bless you all for your selfless noble deeds.
This is my first post, but i read many posts that help to clarify my doubts and have knowledge about Hep B.
I am a 35 years old man, married and living with my family in India. I came to know that I am infected with Hep B when I went for plasma donation. I was very much afraid until i see test results of my immediate family members. With God’s grace my family members are not infected with Hep B. I felt relieved upto good extent.
But, I am still worried about infecting others unknowingly. India is much crowded unlike western countries, humidity is high in most parts of the country. I understand transmission won’t happen easily through sweat, tears after reading some posts from this community.
I am afraid to spreading others through their mucus by these things
I have acnes on my face and small amount of blood/pus come out. Sometime acnes break without my knowledge. I touch my face with my palms unknowingly at outdoors. Am afraid about touching someone else with my palm that leads to infecting them.
Cuticle peels around my finger nails.I noticed there’s a minute liquid when i peel cuticles deeply. Would that cause any infection especially when shaking hands at workplace. Am very much hesitant about touching something in supermarkets, apparel shops due to fear of transmitting hep b. Am using hand sanitizer and washing my hands before them whenever possible.
I have mouth ulcers and I drool during my sleep. Afraid about taking juice, coffee and food from restaurants when there are mouth ulcers. Am afraid that hep b infection may happen from pillows and bedsheets when i stay in relatives/friends place and hotels. Am avoiding staying out for this reason though I love to go outstations.
Hep B infection impacted my social life badly and going though immense mental stress about infecting others.
Please help me whether something can be managed in a better way.
My viral load is around 380 and tested only once. My HbeAg status is non reactive and Anti Hbe is reactive. My son’s Anti HBS count is 18 mIU/mL. He is 4 now. Will Hep B booster be required as he is very close to me at home. Please advise.
Hi @Sanjay1,
Welcome to the community and thanks for sharing. It is unfair to have the onus on you to prevent any transmission. It can be challenging. The scenarios you share could be a source of an infection given that there are possibilities for blood exposure. One thing you can do is be careful around people, practice frequent hand washing and other hygienic measures. I am unsure you can stop any of these scenarios from happening given that they are part of your life. Do the best you can and be extra careful so other people are not exposed. This is not something you should be dealing with if everyone was vaccinated, but that is not the case. So we have to do our part trying to avoid any transmission from occurring while trying to live with this virus. It is a lot to ask of HBV patients.
Most restaurants sanitize their plates, cups and utensils such as spoons, fork etc., after each usage, so I am unsure that should be a concern. That said I don’t know much about what restaurants in your area do. It will be unfair to ask that you carry your own cups, plates and utensils around. It is hard, however I hope restaurants use standard practice measures to sanitize the utensils they use for their guests.
I am sorry, I don’t have a direct answer to your questions as the scenarios described are complex to provide a yes or no answers. I hope this helps and others will chime in soon. Best, Bansah1
I agree that all the things are part of one’s daily life. My day is terrible if i come across any situations and they are beyond my control. This leads to guilt, anger, anxiousness for the entire day.
I dont doubt about sanitization process. All I am concerned only about people who dispose and wash utensils in restaurants , friend’s/relative’s house as small cuts are very common on palms.
We can only do so much or control what we can, so try not to be too hard on yourself. In many restaurants washers wear gloves when handling dirty dishes. At a friend’s house, I don’t know if you could do the dishes, use disposable utensils or ask them to place them in hot water for a some few minutes before washing them. It is complicated. However, there must be an opening on the person washing the dishes and some blood must be present for transmission to occur. This is less likely to happen. I know you are careful and doing your best, which is all you can do in this situation. Take it easy on yourself. It is not our fault that we cannot do it all. Thanks, Bansah1
Your son has protective levels of antibody if it is above 10 mIU/mL. In these cases, they are considered completely protected against any exposure to HBV.
Please know you are not the only one going through this and perhaps it might be worthwhile reading the other threads about this.
I’m Hepatitis B positive, should I regularly monitor my children and husband antibody levels to get them infected by this , or there is no need of any tests for them as they are vaccinated?
Please reply it helps me a lot, everyday I’m dying in the fear of spreading the virus to people around me, whenever I think about this I’m getting into tears.
They don’t need ongoing monitoring. If you wait a few months after they have completed the vaccine series, and then do an antibody test, that should be sufficient. There is a small chance (~5%) that they may not respond to the vaccine after 3 doses, in which case the recommendation is to try a booster shot. But if they’ve responded well to the vaccine, the protection should last a lifetime.
If you have confirmed that your children and husband have protective levels of antibody (more than 10mIU/mL), they are generally considered to have lifelong immunity and do not require additional monitoring. However, if it helps ease your anxieties, you may wish to discuss monitoring over time as part of their regular health check-ups.
An anti-HBs test is really the only way to be 100% confident that they have protection.
While a booster may help if the vaccine was not effective, I know of instances where people have needed up 8 boosters to get protective levels of antibodies raised.
Immunity is a things that decreases and increase with times , then even my husband and children had anti body test, what if the immunity decrease and anti body count decrease… I have seen in articles that so many children born to hepatitis B mom’s are safe and not detected hbsag in them, now what if their anti bodies decrease with time…
Also I didn’t get you about telling 8 booster doses to get protective antibodies…my english is not that good may I didn’t get what you told…can you please explain it clearly, sorry if I’m troubling u with my questions but I’m in lot of pain and crying all the day in fear of spreading my husband and children hope you can understand what I’m going through, also we are not in a position of spending more and more money on tests as those tests are very costly here in INDIA,thinking all these and being pregnant with other child killing me
Hi @Harini,
Hepatitis B surface antibodies decrease among some patients, so not everyone vaccinated experiences this. There is no evidence that your husband or child falls in this category. The best thing to do, if possible, is for them to get tested every 2-3 years if cost is a problem. It is impossible to tell without them getting tested. By getting tested, the doctor can monitor and recommend a booster if needed.
Please, you don’t have to burden yourself with this. As long as they are both vaccinated, it reduces the risk of transmission. Also, remember that HBV is not transmitted casually. You cannot infect someone by sharing a bed, eating together, washing their clothes, feeding them, sharing utensils, shaking hands, holding hands, or giving a hug, etc. Do your best to reduce/limit accidents that could lead to blood exposures. Please be sure the baby receives the birth dose immediately after delivery.
You are doing everything right, and stressing yourself too much might not be good for your condition.
@ThomasTu was saying that with some people, it could take multiple boosters to help them reach protective levels. Take it slow, one day at a time. Bansah1
I’m fearing this much because my sister in her pregnancy found that she had Hepatitis B and had very high load,but doctors recommended vaccine to her baby and husband, so they did it… And she really never explained us what is it, we took it lite…after 3 years when I got pregnant I came to know I had this but no HBV DNA detected, later in cross checking came to know this is what my sister had and I got infected,even my mom got positive, but not my father and little sister… Even my mom HBV DNA is also not detected so doctor confirmed that me and mom recently got that, this is why I’m dying what if it happens same with others… I know the pain of it and I don’t want others to have it… So now my ultimate goal to protect my little sister,my husband and my children, sometimes I’m feeling like leaving this life is better than spreading others.so want to protect them even for tests and booster doses I have to beg my husband because he is against vaccination he thinks they harm human body…also complaining from the day of taking vaccine he is feeling some burning sensation near liver ,so my problems are money, begging my husband for tests and vaccine also fear of spreading to othrs
I empathize with you. We hear you, and all of us are with you. To be honest, you are already doing a fantastic job. Any one of us will do the same thing to protect our loved ones. The question then becomes, is there more you can do, and the answer is not much. Getting your family vaccinated is the best way to protect them against HBV. The rest is being careful, as we always do to prevent harm or injury in our surroundings. I doubt there’s more you can do that has not been done.
We can only do enough. Please don’t put all this pressure on yourself. Think about your unborn child and how the stress could be affecting him/her. As long as your husband and child are vaccinated and have antibodies, they are going to be alright. The vaccine is the best tool against HBV infections, and they have done so already.
I understand your fear and worry, but please take it easy on yourself. I hope this helps. Bansah1
Please don’t leave this life. The pain you are experiencing now will get less. The pain is a normal reaction to your diagnosis. And if you die your family would feel more pain.
The more you understand about this disease the less anxiety you feel. Keep going.
Remember your family cannot get infected through every day living. It is your blood that is contagious. So if you’re are careful with not sharing your blood, everyone should be fine.
My 3 children were vaccinated. A course of 3 shots over 3 months. They were not tested after to check antibodies.
I did get them checked about 15 years later. So not stress about that.
You are doing everything right.
Blessings
Yes babies at birth is given immunoglobulin, in some articles it is written it gives protection for 6 months and in some it protects baby for 1 month so worrying…
Caraline thank you for your response… I’m worrying like even tho I take good measures to to keep them safe , during my periods I’m worried a lot… Because as I said me and my mom got it from my sister , I’m very much worried…After this delivery I will try to do a antibody test for my husband and first baby, so that I can atleast feel little lite if I know they have good antibodies…also I have have monitoring after delivery as it is very costly to have those tests,no money for test, if ignored ,then what if virus flares up and cause trouble to me…
Do anyone here know any social service who help with medical expenses for people who can’t bear their hospital bills, if you know any please help me by providing information
Are you sure you got from sister? Usually mother transfer HBV to baby during birth.
Meaning your mother gave to you and sister.
Which is how lots of people usually get HBV
Can you please explain. I’m confused
