Hepatitis B and C Transmission Through Shared Meals and Hugging Is a Myth, Doctor Says

Hepatitis may be a familiar term to the public, but its nature is still frequently misunderstood. Many people believe that hepatitis B and C can be transmitted through eating together and hugging. Is that true?

Internal medicine specialist and gastroentero-hepatology consultant as well as lecturer at UGM, Dr Fahmi Indrarti, said that this assumption is merely a myth. She explained that people with hepatitis B and C may eat together and may hug, and that it is not a problem.

“People with hepatitis do not need to be shunned or have all their activities stopped. Hepatitis also does not only affect people with unhealthy lifestyles, but can be experienced by anyone, including babies who contract it from their mothers or someone exposed to blood and non-sterile equipment,” said Dr Fahmi in a written statement, quoted on Wednesday (12/8/2026).

Dr Fahmi said hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by hepatitis virus infection. However, hepatitis can also be caused by alcohol consumption, obesity, medications, or transmission through food with poor hygiene.

She said hepatitis viruses consist of hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E with different modes of transmission. For example, hepatitis A and E are transmitted through contaminated food or drink. Meanwhile, hepatitis B and C are transmitted through bodily fluids, such as exposure to blood. Hepatitis D can only infect someone who already has hepatitis B and can worsen the disease.

Among the various types of hepatitis, hepatitis B and C are of primary concern because both have the potential to develop into chronic infections or liver cancer. It is estimated that around 6.7 million Indonesians are infected with hepatitis B and 2.5 million are infected with hepatitis C.

“The most commonly found in Indonesia are B and C. The number is around 6.5 million infected with hepatitis B and 2.5 million infected with hepatitis C,” said Dr Fahmi.