Can hepatitis spread via saliva?

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Hepatitis B and A can be transmitted through saliva, but Hepatitis C requires blood exchange. Hepatitis B is commonly spread through kissing and oral sex, while Hepatitis A is transmitted through contaminated food or fecal matter. Hepatitis C cannot be transmitted through saliva. Protective measures and limiting sexual contact can prevent the spread of these diseases.

The transmission of hepatitis through saliva is usually only possible with hepatitis B and hepatitis A. In order for a person to get hepatitis C, there must be blood exchange. Hepatitis B is most commonly transmitted through saliva through kissing and oral sex. It is possible to transmit hepatitis A through saliva if oral contact is made with a contaminated source. The symptoms of the three forms of the disease are very similar and damage to the infected person’s liver can occur.

The act of spreading hepatitis through saliva is usually seen with hepatitis B. This form is considered a sexually transmitted disease that can be transmitted through a variety of bodily fluids, including saliva. French kissing and oral sex are the most common ways it is transmitted through saliva. Hepatitis B is not usually spread through random forms of kissing, in which saliva is not exchanged.

Because hepatitis B is usually transmitted through sexual contact, ways to avoid spreading this form of hepatitis through saliva include limiting the number of sexual partners. The use of condoms or some form of protective barrier during all forms of sex is encouraged. It may also be helpful to know the medical status of a potential sexual partner before engaging in sexual activity.

Hepatitis A is the second form of the disease that can be transmitted through saliva. With this strain of the disease, contaminated food or fecal matter must somehow enter the person’s body through oral contact. While the disease itself cannot spread or infect a person through an exchange of saliva, it often enters the bloodstream through this fluid. It can be difficult to determine if a person has been infected with the hepatitis A strain unless a blood test is done.

Some forms of sexual contact can result in the transmission of the hepatitis A virus through saliva. The likelihood of contracting the disease in this way is higher with individuals who engage in oral-anal contact. Limiting or eliminating sexual contact of this nature can prevent the spread of this form of hepatitis through saliva.

Hepatitis C cannot be transmitted through saliva. This strain is usually only transmitted by exchanging infected blood between individuals. While some countries have screening practices in place to help prevent these types of occurrences, they aren’t always foolproof. Exchanging saliva by kissing a person with hepatitis C does not cause transmission of the virus.




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