MYTH: Hepatitis can be spread through hugging.

Go ahead and hug them.

You can’t get hepatitis from hugging, shaking hands, back slapping, high fives or other casual contacts that make life more enjoyable.

MYTH: People who have hepatitis should not breastfeed their infants. They can pass it on to their babies that way.

Hepatitis C and B are not transmitted through breast milk.

However, if you have cracked nipples then some blood may escape, and if baby has a small cut in the mouth, blood-to-bloodstream contact is possible, allowing the transmission of hepatitis.

If cracks occur in a nipple, feed from the other breast. Express milk and discard it until the graze or cracks have healed. This will ensure continued milk production from the affected breast.

For more information: http://bit.ly/pregbirthbeyond.

MYTH: Beware of sweaty equipment at the gym. You may catch hepatitis from using them.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are not transmitted through sweat. So go ahead and enjoy your workout.

However, it is wise to be blood safe at the gym and not share articles which might have come into contact with blood, such as boxing gloves.

MYTH: Watch out who you share your laundry with. You can get hepatitis from doing your washing in the same load.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses are not found on clothing through normal skin contact. It is safe to wash clothes in the same load as someone with hepatitis, even if they are blood stained.

MYTH: People who have hepatitis must have been promiscuous.

Hepatitis C is not a sexually transmitted infection.

While hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted infection, it is also transmitted via blood to bloodstream contact. Most people who have chronic hepatitis B got it from their mothers during birth when hepatitis B vaccinations and hepatitis B Immunoglobulin were unavailable.

Having hepatitis is no indicator of a person's sexual behaviour one way or the other.