People who may be at risk of becoming infected from you
You need to inform people who may be at risk of acquiring hepatitis B from
you so that they can be tested for immunity and vaccinated if necessary. This
includes everyone living with you and any sexual partners. If a sexual partner
requires vaccination, intimate contact should be delayed until the vaccination
has "taken."
Surgeons who operate on you
Surgeons who operate on you should be told that you have hepatitis B, as well
as anyone else who might come into contact with your blood or body fluids. For
example, if you are a professional wrestler, your opponent should know. If you
are a surgeon, your patients should know. Nor should you donate blood at a blood
bank. However, if you are an accountant, you do not need to inform your office
colleagues.
The degree of risk of transmitting the infection is directly related to
the chances that your blood and body fluids from you will be exposed to the
other person's mucous membranes or blood. If you have questions about this,
you should ask your doctor. One of the key situations in which exposure of blood
and body fluids is likely is during childbirth. If you are having a baby, the
infant can be protected in most cases, by vaccination at birth, followed by
subsequent vaccinations under the doctor's care.