How babies get hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus is found in body and body fluids. Mother to child is the most common mode of transmission of hepatitis B with about 95% of babies getting it at birth from an infected mother or  with in the first 5 years of birth through the child-to-child mode.

The spread of hepatitis B in babies is referred to as the HORIZONTAL TRANSMISSION. Other ways of transmitting hepatitis B in babies and adults include sharing of sharp instruments, sexual contacts with an infected person and blood transfusion.

However the mothers can’t infect the baby through breastfeeding because there is low concentration of the virus in breast milk, as well as in sweat, urine and saliva.

Also touching or shaking hands of an infected person can’t spread the virus and also it isn’t good to discriminate people infected with the Hepatitis B virus.

 

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