The virus is found in blood, saliva, semen and other bodily fluids, even tears, and it can live on surfaces for up to seven days. A child with a wound who comes into contact with that surface — even days later — could become infected, says Anita Patel, a pediatrician and pediatric critical care physician in Washington, D.C.

Babies can contract Hepatitis B from their mothers during childbirth, even if the mother doesn’t know she’s infected. Infants who contract Hepatitis B during the first year of life have a 90% chance of developing lifelong chronic Hepatitis B infection.

Decades after HBV infection, patients can develop liver failure and require a liver transplant. Because there is no cure for HBV infections, patients often have recurrent liver disease after a transplant.