Hepatitis B—the "Hidden" STD Anne and Joe, both lawyers in their
late 30s, have been dating seriously for six months. After
having mild flu-like symptoms for a month, Anne was diagnosed
with hepatitis B. Joe immediately went to be tested, and to his
surprise discovered that he is a chronic carrier of hepatitis B
(HBV). Although Anne most likely contracted the virus from Joe,
he's not sure how he got it. However, he vaguely remembers that
one of his previous girlfriends had symptoms similar to Anne's
for a few months. Anne has a 90% chance of recovering fully from
HBV within several months. If she doesn't recover, like Joe, she
will go on to develop chronic hepatitis B. Anne would then have
to cope with a lifelong illness that may cause liver damage.
Chronic hepatitis also puts people at high risk for liver
failure and liver cancer. Because Joe is already a chronic
carrier, all of his future sexual partners should get vaccinated
for HBV before having sex and should at least practice safe sex.
What Is Hepatitis