Hepatitis B is a blood borne virus and can be spread by blood-to-blood contact. Hepatitis B is also present in other body fluids including saliva and sexual fluids (semen and vaginal fluids). Therefore hepatitis B is also a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Using a condom reduces the chance of HBV being passed on during sex. Syringes and other injecting drug equipment should never be shared. To keep any damage to your liver to an absolute minimum, it is essential to minimise alcohol intake, or cut out alcohol completely. Research has shown that even moderate drinking can accelerate the progress of liver disease in people with hepatitis B. Smoking tobacco impacts the body’s regenerative powers and therefore can have an impact on day to day health. Drug use can also speed up damage to your liver. It can also put other people at risk of getting the virus,if you have hepatitis B and share equipment when you prepare, inject, inhale or snort drugs. To protect your liver and to reduce the risk of passing on the virus, consider stopping drug use, or use new equipment every time and never share.

Hepatitis C is an infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and is one of the most common causes of liver disease. The virus is passed from one person to another through blood-toblood contact; this means that the blood of an infected person has to get into the bloodstream of an uninfected person, such as through an open wound, or through items which have come into contact with infected blood. Hepatitis C is mainly transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. There are many ways this can happen. You may have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus if you have ever: Prepared drugs or injected, inhaled, or snorted drugs using shared equipment, even once, such as needles, syringes, spoons, straws and water, etc. Alcohol and drug use can cause further harm to your liver. With alcohol, it is essential to minimise alcohol intake or cut out alcohol completely in order to keep any damage to your liver to an absolute minimum. Research has shown that even moderate drinking can accelerate the progress of liver disease in people with hepatitis C. Drug use can quicken the speed that damage is being done to your liver. If you have hepatitis C and are sharing equipment to prepare or inject, inhale or snort drugs, it can also put other people at risk of getting the virus. To protect your liver and to reduce the risk of passing on the virus, consider stopping drug use, or use new equipment every time and never share. If you have successfully been treated for hepatitis C, you must also be aware that you are at risk of reinfection if you are using drugs and sharing equipment.