Hepatitis B, Acute

Infectious agent:  Hepatitis B virus

Description of illness:  Hepatitis B is a virus that can cause inflammation of the liver.  Hepatitis B is most commonly transmitted by sexual contact but can also be transmitted by contact with other body fluids or from mother to baby in pregnancy or during childbirth.  It is vaccine preventable. Many people with Hepatitis B do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected. If symptoms occur, they can include: fever, feeling tired, not wanting to eat, upset stomach, throwing up, dark urine, grey-colored stool, joint pain, and yellow skin and eyes.