Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Several viruses can cause it, but two of the most serious are hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Both can damage the liver over many years, and both often cause no symptoms until that damage is done. That's why so many people who have them don't know it.

In this blog, we'll cover how hepatitis B and C are alike, how they differ, and who should get tested.

How They're Alike

• Both are viruses that infect the liver.
• Both can become chronic. Chronic hepatitis B is usually lifelong but can be managed. Chronic hepatitis C can be cured.
• Chronic infection with either can lead to liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure, and liver cancer.
• Both often cause no symptoms for years.
• Both spread through blood, and hepatitis B also spreads easily through sex.
• A blood test is the only way to know if you have either one.

When symptoms do show up, they can include fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, stomach pain, dark urine, pale stool, and yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice).

Hepatitis B

How It Spreads

Hepatitis B spreads through contact with blood, semen, or other body fluids of someone who has the virus. Common ways include:

• Sex with someone who has hepatitis B
• Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug equipment
• From mother to baby at birth
• Sharing razors or toothbrushes
• Needlestick injuries, which is a risk for healthcare workers

Can It Be Prevented?

Yes. There is a safe and effective hepatitis B vaccine. It's been part of the routine childhood vaccine schedule in the US since the early 1990s, and it's recommended for adults age 59 and younger who aren't already protected. Many healthcare and school programs also require proof of immunity, which is where a hepatitis B titer test comes in.

Can It Be Cured?

Most healthy adults who catch hepatitis B clear the virus on their own within six months. Babies and young children are much more likely to develop a chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis B has no cure yet, but antiviral medication can control the virus and lower the risk of liver damage.

Hepatitis C

How It Spreads

Hepatitis C spreads mainly through blood. Today, the most common way is sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. Other ways include:

• Blood transfusions or organ transplants before 1992, before widespread screening of the blood supply
• Needlestick injuries in healthcare settings
• From mother to baby at birth
• Tattoos or piercings done with unsterile equipment
• Less commonly, sex with someone who has hepatitis C

Can It Be Prevented?

There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. Prevention means avoiding contact with other people's blood, including never sharing needles, razors, or toothbrushes.

Can It Be Cured?

Yes. This is the big difference. Most people with hepatitis C can be cured with 8 to 12 weeks of oral medication. Current treatments cure more than 95% of people who take them. That makes testing especially important. Finding hepatitis C early means you can get cured before serious liver damage happens.

Who Should Get Tested?

Hepatitis C

The CDC recommends:

• All adults 18 and older get tested for hepatitis C at least once in their lifetime.
• All pregnant people get tested during each pregnancy.
• People with ongoing risk factors, like injecting drugs, get tested regularly.

Hepatitis B

The CDC recommends:

• All adults 18 and older get screened for hepatitis B at least once in their lifetime, using a test that checks for current infection, past infection, and immunity.
• All pregnant people get tested during each pregnancy.
• People with ongoing risk get tested periodically.

You should also consider testing if you've had a known exposure, have symptoms, have high liver enzymes on a recent blood test, or were born in a country where hepatitis B is common.

Understanding Hepatitis Test Results

Hepatitis testing can include several markers. In simple terms:

• Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). A positive result means a current infection.
• Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs). A positive result usually means you're protected, either from the vaccine or from a past infection you cleared.
• Hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc). A positive result means you've been infected at some point, either currently or in the past. It's interpreted alongside the other markers.
• Hepatitis C antibody. A positive result means you've been exposed. A follow-up test (HCV RNA) shows whether the virus is still active.

A positive hepatitis B surface antigen, core antibody, or hepatitis C antibody needs follow-up with a healthcare provider. A positive surface antibody generally means you're protected.

Get Tested With eNational Testing

eNational Testing's Comprehensive Hepatitis Panel makes it easy to check your status privately. Order online, visit a collection site near you, and get your results sent directly to you.

Visit enationaltesting.com or call 866-766-1631.