Hepatitis B: What You Need to Know About HBV and Vaccination

1 in 4 people living with chronic Hepatitis B in Western Australia don’t know they have it. That’s a lot of people carrying a virus that can quietly affect their liver for years, often with no symptoms at all.
The good news is that Hepatitis B is preventable. A safe, effective vaccine is available, testing is a simple blood test, and treatment can help people living with Hepatitis B stay well.

Hepatitis B: Key facts

An estimated 227,500 people in Australia were living with chronic Hepatitis B in 2024, and about 1 in 3 hadn’t been diagnosed, according to the ASHM Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project.
Hepatitis B spreads through blood and sexual fluids, not through casual contact.
Babies who get Hepatitis B at birth have about a 90% chance of developing lifelong infection.
There’s no cure for chronic Hepatitis B, but treatment works, and vaccination prevents it.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver. It’s often shortened to HBV (Hepatitis B virus). Hepatitis B infection can cause inflammation and, over time, severe liver disease, including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer.
Many people with Hepatitis B have no symptoms. They can feel completely well and still have the virus. This is why so many people don’t know they’re living with it, and why testing matters.

How is HBV infection spread?

Hepatitis B spreads through blood-to-blood contact and other body fluids, including sexual fluids. A baby can also get Hepatitis B from their mother during birth if the mother has the virus.

Common ways HBV infection can be passed on include:

• Sharing needles, syringes or other injecting equipment
• Sharing tattooing or piercing equipment, or using equipment that isn’t sterile
• Sex without a condom
• Sharing personal items like toothbrushes, razors or nail files
• Contact with open cuts or sores

You can’t get Hepatitis B from hugging, kissing, sharing food or drinks, coughing, sneezing or using the same bathroom (HepBWA). It’s sometimes called a highly contagious viral infection, but it only spreads through blood and body fluids. Knowing this helps reduce the stigma people living with Hepatitis B often face.

If you use drugs, using new, sterile equipment every time is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself. Sterile equipment is available through needle and syringe programs across WA, and our harm minimisation approach means we’ll always talk with you about staying safer, without judgement.

What happens if someone gets Hepatitis B?

Not everyone who catches Hepatitis B develops a lifelong infection. Many people have a short-term acute infection and clear the virus on their own within about six months. Others go on to develop a chronic infection, which means the virus stays in the body long term and can lead to serious complications.
The risk of developing chronic Hepatitis B depends heavily on age:

This is why protecting babies early matters so much. According to the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, up to half of children who get Hepatitis B catch it from someone in their household who doesn’t know they have it. 

Hepatitis B vaccination: The best protection

The Hepatitis B vaccine is the safest and most effective way to prevent HBV infection. In Australia, babies born after 1st May 2000 have routinely been offered the vaccine.

For babies, the first dose is given within 7 days of birth, then at 2, 4 and 6 months. Your baby needs at least the 2, 4 and 6 month doses for lifelong protection. The vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program, including catch-up doses for anyone under 20 who isn’t fully vaccinated, although GP practice fees may apply.

Who should get vaccinated?

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for:

• Babies born to mothers with Hepatitis B, or in close contact with someone who has it
• Babies, children and teenagers who haven’t been vaccinated
• People with chronic liver disease or Hepatitis C
• People who are immunocompromised
• People travelling to countries where Hepatitis B is more common

Is Hepatitis B vaccination free for adults in WA?

For some adults, yes. The WA Department of Health funds free Hepatitis A and B vaccines for people at higher risk, including:

• People who inject drugs
• Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
• People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis C, chronic Hepatitis B or chronic liver disease
• People newly diagnosed with Hepatitis B or C

If any of these apply to you, ask your GP or sexual health clinic. You can find more on vaccine options at HepBWA.

Why vaccinate in infancy?

Vaccinating your baby protects them before they’re ever exposed. As children grow, they may come into contact with Hepatitis B without anyone realising, like a toddler touching a discarded needle or a teenager borrowing a friend’s razor. Later, they may work in healthcare or emergency services, where contact with blood can happen.

Getting tested for Hepatitis B

A simple blood test is the only way to know if you have Hepatitis B. It checks for the Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), a protein that shows the virus is in your blood, along with signs of past infection or vaccination. If you’re planning a family or expecting a baby, you can:

• Ask your doctor about Hepatitis B testing
• Check your own vaccination status
• Make sure your baby receives the recommended childhood vaccinations

Knowing your status helps protect both you and your baby. If you test positive, early care makes a real difference to long-term liver health. HepBWA has a list of clinics across WA that can support people living with chronic Hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at higher rates (HepBWA), so culturally safe testing and care matter. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across WA can help with testing and vaccination.

How Holyoake can help

At Holyoake, we know physical health and alcohol and other drug use are often connected. If you’re worried about your drug use, or the risks that can come with it, we’re here to talk. Our counsellors can support you to explore your goals, stay safer and connect with health services like your GP for testing and vaccination.

Our support is free and confidential, and no referral is required. Find out more about support for individuals, or if you’re worried about someone close to you, explore our support for friends and families.

FAQs

Vaccination today can help protect your future

Hepatitis B is common, often silent and preventable. Getting tested, checking your vaccination status and making sure your children are vaccinated are small steps that protect your health for life.

Download our Hepatitis B fact sheet to keep or share with someone who might need it.

Download the Hepatitis B fact sheet (PDF)

If you’d like to talk about alcohol or other drug use, or the health risks that can come with it, call us on (08) 9416 4444 or contact us. We’re here whenever you’re ready.

Sources

ASHM. (2026). Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project: Hepatitis B National Report 2024. ashm.org.au

Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. (2025). ATAGI statement on the importance and safety of hepatitis B vaccine at birth. health.gov.au

WA Department of Health. WA STI and BBV guidelines: WA specific information. health.wa.gov.au

HepBWA, a site of HepatitisWA. Hepatitis B in Western Australia, Transmission and Vaccinations. hepbwa.com.au