[Question #1733] Hepatitis B Transmission

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93 months ago
about 2 months ago, I had a sexual encounter..there was semen   emission, things were put in and out of the refrigerator, my concern is that I read that HEP B survives up  to 7 days on surfaces but longer if its stored in like a medical cooling unit, would items placed inside the refrigerator touched with semen make it active this long? 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
93 months ago
Welcome to the Forum.  I'll try to help.  It is well known that hepatitis B can survive outside the body for UP TO 7 days and that refrigeration can prolong survival for several weeks.  Having said that, this is not the same as saying there is a risk for infection during that period.  The virus becomes less infectious over that period and casual contact virtually never leads to transmission.  For instance, the fact that hepatitis B is NOT transmitted by touching, kissing, or masturbation is evidence that just because the virus may be present, that does not put you at risk for acquisition of infection.  You do not provide much detail about the basis of your concern but they are based on touching or contact with ejaculate from a person who might have hepatitis B, I would urge you not to worry.  EWH  
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