Private Hepatitis B test

Hepatitis B is a virus that is carried in blood and body fluids like semen and vaginal secretions. The virus can infect the liver, causing inflammation and illness. In some people, Hepatitis B can become chronic, which can cause liver damage and increase your risk of developing liver cancer.

Many people exposed to Hep B won’t have any symptoms. If you develop symptoms, they may come on 2 or 3 months after the initial infection. Look out for:

• Flu-like illness, including fever, aches and feeling tired and unwell.
• Reduced appetite.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Diarrhoea.
• Abdominal pain.
• Jaundice, which is a yellow discolouration of the skin and eyes.

These symptoms usually settle in 4-12 weeks. However, in around 1 in 20 people, the infection can become chronic. Chronic Hepatitis B lasts for more than six months; the people affected are infectious carriers of the virus and are at increased risk of developing liver problems.

If you are worried that you have Hepatitis B, or if a partner or close contact has the infection, it's important to get a test.

To be accurate, the test should be taken at least one month after your exposure to Hepatitis B. Harley Street Sexual Health also offers a test that detects infection at an earlier stage. It can show results as early as ten days, but it can miss a small number of infections, so the doctors will always arrange a follow-up test after a month.

Harley Street Sexual Health offers Hepatitis B testing by a blood test. The doctor will take a sample and send it to a specialist laboratory for analysis. The test detects the presence of the virus, confirming whether you have the infection.

Harley Street Sexual Health provides both standard and fast-track Hepatitis B screening. One of the clinic’s experienced consultants will email you the results as soon as they are received and reviewed. This takes less than 48 hours for the standard screening and just 6 hours for the expedited service.

If your result shows Hepatitis B infection, a consultant will contact you to discuss treatment and arrange a referral to a hepatitis specialist.

If you are exposed to Hepatitis B, treatment with Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) within 48 hours of exposure may prevent you from developing the infection.

The consultants at Harley Street Sexual Health have close links with medical colleagues specialising in liver disease and Hepatitis B infection. They can refer you for assessment and treatment.

You can protect against Hepatitis B infection by using a condom during any oral, anal or vaginal sex. Cleaning any shared sex toys or using a condom can also help.
Having regular sexual health screening, especially when you change partners, or before any unprotected sex can help prevent the spread of Hep B and other STIs.

There is an effective vaccine against Hepatitis B. Harley Street Sexual Health provides vaccination against the virus. You should consider vaccination if you are at an increased risk of infection. People at risk include:

• Anyone who has a partner or close contact with Hepatitis B.
• Men who have sex with men.
• People who inject drugs.
• Healthcare workers.
• Anyone who regularly travels to places with high rates of Hepatitis B.