I was told that I contracted Hepatitis B from birth, but after some research, I realized that I most likely contracted it from an unclean environment, there were outbreaks of HIV and Hep B within Romanian orphanages around the early 90s. The people who raised me treated me like I was the scum of the earth because I had this disease and they had not been vaccinated, but in reality it takes a lot of bodily fluid to become infected.  Hep B causes scarring of the liver, and in extreme cases, a liver transplant may. I require yearly blood tests to check whether there is viral activity attacking my liver.

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I had active viral load (hep b being active within the body) in 2014,  which gave me sores and left me extremely tired and sore. I was in and out of hospital during this time but I didn't get a blood test to check the activity till the end of the year!

 

I have learnt to feel shame  from having the disease because many people have freaked out when I have told them. Which is why educating people about it is really important.

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https://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepb-guide/hepatitis-b-topic-overview