First,I’m sorry to hear that your former boyfriend passed the hepatitis B virus to you. But thinking about how to protect your future partners from HBV is a great idea. Here are my best thoughts for your consideration:

To be honest, yes: there’s a chance that you can pass hepatitis B to a new partner. But there are ways to prevent that from happening. The most recentupdate on hepatitis B prevention from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases recommends that you:

• Tell your sexual partner or partners that you’re positive for HBV

• Encourage your partner to get vaccinated for HBV

• Use latex condoms or dental dams with any/all sexual activity

• Don’t share toothbrushes or razorblades, needles or syringes

• If you have any open cuts or scratches, always cover them with a bandage

• Make sure to clean up any blood spills with detergent or bleach

These easy steps can go a long way to protect your future partners. And you don’t have to worry about sharing food or eating utensils, or kissing or sneezing...hepatitis B isn’t transferred in those ways.

And remember, hepatitis B can cause serious liver damage if left untreated. If you haven’t done so already, please talk to a liver or infectious disease specialist about appropriate treatment. You can also learn more about hepatitis risk factors and treatment in our Expert Guide to Hepatitis B.

I commend you for thinking about how to protect your future partners and I send you my best wishes for managing your infection.

Related info:

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Hepatitis B Guidelines