Can Hepatitis B Be Transmitted Through Sexual Contact?
Hepatitis B is a viral hepatitis issue primarily caused by Hepatitis B virus infection, and it has a strong infectiousness. Currently, there is no drug that can completely cure Hepatitis B in clinical practice. However, drugs can be used to control the active replication of Hepatitis B virus and reduce its infectivity. In this context, some people may have doubts about whether Hepatitis B can be transmitted through sexual contact.
1. Mother-to-child transmission
Mother-to-child transmission includes two aspects: vertical transmission and horizontal transmission. It is commonly believed that mother-to-child transmission is only vertical transmission, but this is not the case. Only 10% of Hepatitis B infections are caused by intrauterine transmission, and 10% of infections occur during pregnancy while the fetus is in the uterus. The main mode of transmission is horizontal transmission through close contact during the perinatal period and after birth. For mothers with Hepatitis B, the possibility of their children being infected after birth is 90%-95%. The risk of infection for children born to mothers with Hepatitis B who are E antigen-negative is approximately half that of those born to mothers who are E antigen-positive, or about 45%-40%.
2. Iatrogenic transmission
If individuals undergo medical examinations or treatments in hospitals and use medical instruments that have not been strictly disinfected and are repeatedly contaminated, they are at high risk of contracting Hepatitis B. Surgical procedures, blood collection needles, acupuncture needles, and endoscopes are all examples of iatrogenic transmission routes.
3. Sexual contact transmission
Sexual contact is the most common mode of Hepatitis B virus transmission. This is because individuals with Hepatitis B have HBV in their bodily fluids, and during sexual intercourse, these viruses can enter the partner's body through bodily fluids, thereby infecting them. Therefore, it is important for individuals to take proper precautions in their personal lives, such as using condoms, to avoid cross-infection and the transmission of other infectious diseases.
4. Close contact transmission
Individuals who eat together with patients infected with Hepatitis B are also at risk of contracting the disease. In addition, if there are wounds on the skin or mucous membranes and close contact with Hepatitis B patients occurs, it is easy for the disease to take advantage of this and invade the body. Sharing items such as razors and towels also poses a risk of infection.
