the risk is determined by a person’s behavior not his/her gender. men who have sex with men are 10 to 15 times more likely than the general population to be infected with hepatitis b. viral hepatitis is also more common among people who come from parts of the world where the disease is endemic including asia sub-saharan africa eastern europe and the middle east. infection is also more common among current or former users of inhaled or injected drugs. people with tattoos or piercings are also more likely to be infected because the needles used to create these body decorations sometimes harbor the hepatitis virus. of course just because someone belongs to one of these risk groups doesn’t mean he or she is infected. and just because someone doesn’t belong to a risk group doesn’t mean he or she is free of infection.
are men and women equally at risk of getting and spreading hepatitis through sex?