Hepatitis B is highly contagious, but it is rare for one spouse to have hepatitis B while the other does not. Despite the close contact between spouses, cases of hepatitis B transmission are few, but the chances of transmitting the virus to the next generation are high. This vertical transmission seems to have genetic characteristics and is the main route of hepatitis B transmission in China.
Hepatitis B patients' spouses rarely contract hepatitis B, but they have a higher rate of previous infection with the hepatitis B virus. Their test results show negative surface antigen of the hepatitis B virus, but positive surface antibody or core antibody. This indicates that they have been infected with the hepatitis B virus, but have produced antibodies in their bodies. Spouses who have lived together for many years and have close contact, including sexual contact, have many opportunities for infection, but the incidence of hepatitis B in patients' spouses is very low. Why is this? It is because adults often have a healthy immune system with normal immune surveillance and immune clearance functions. When the hepatitis B virus enters the body, the entire immune system immediately mobilizes to identify and eliminate the virus, preventing it from finding a hiding place or foothold in the body.
The impact of hepatitis on fertility and sexual life in men mainly includes the following:
(1) Some patients with chronic hepatitis may experience impotence and decreased sexual function or nocturnal emissions;
(2) Overly frequent sexual activity can worsen the burden on the liver and cause abnormal liver function;
(3) Hepatitis B can be transmitted through sexual activity.
Therefore, male hepatitis B patients should be cautious about their sexual activity, and their spouses should receive hepatitis B vaccination. Since kissing and sexual intercourse involve contact with the patient's bodily fluids, they can transmit the hepatitis B virus. Currently, premarital examinations require testing for HBsAg, and if one party is positive for HBsAg, the other party should receive hepatitis B vaccination as a preventive measure.
