Patient's question:
A family member has hepatitis B. How can we avoid getting infected in daily life? Some people say that as long as it's not transmitted through blood or other body fluids, daily contact won't lead to infection. Others, however, say that family members can easily get infected, including when eating together, as saliva can also transmit the hepatitis B virus. So, which of these statements is correct?Doctor's answer:
Whether a mother with hepatitis B or positive hepatitis B surface antigen can breastfeed her child mainly depends on whether she will transmit the hepatitis B virus to her child. Newborns should be vaccinated against hepatitis B according to regulations, which is very important for preventing hepatitis B virus infection. For newborns of mothers who are positive for hepatitis B surface antigen and E antigen, the protection rate of the hepatitis B vaccine is over 95%. The protection rate reaches 99% when the hepatitis B vaccine is combined with high-titer hepatitis B immune globulin.