What is Hepatitis B
How to prevent Hepatitis B
Who should get a Hepatitis B vaccine
When to get a Hepatitis B vaccine
 What is Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a serious disease.
The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause short-term (acute) illness that leads to:
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Tiredness
- Jaundice (yellow skin or eyes)
- Pain in muscles, joints, and stomach
It can also cause long-term (chronic) illness that leads to:
- Liver damage (cirrhosis)
- Liver cancer
- Death
About 1.25 million people in the U.S. have chronic HBV infection.
Each year it is estimated that:
- 80,000 people, mostly young adults, get infected with HBV
- More than 11,000 people have to stay in the hospital because of Hepatitis B
- 4,000 to 5,000 people die from chronic Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus is spread through contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected person.
A person can get infected in several ways, such as:
- Having unprotected sex with an infected person
- Sharing needles when injecting illegal drugs
- Being stuck with a used needle on the job
- During birth when the virus passes from an infected mother to her baby
About 1/3 of people who are infected with Hepatitis B in the United States don't know how they got it.
How to prevent Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B vaccine can prevent Hepatitis B. It is the first anti-cancer vaccine because it can prevent a
form of liver cancer.
Who should get a Hepatitis B vaccine
- Everyone 18 years of age and younger
- Adults over 18 who are at risk
Adults at risk for HBV infection include:
- People who have more than one sex partner in 6 months
- Men who have sex with other men
- Sex contacts of infected people
- People who inject illegal drugs
- Healthcare and public safety workers who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids
- Household contacts of persons with chronic HBV infection
- Hemodialysis patients
In a recent medical study of people with the Hepatitis B, one third did not identify themselves as being in any of the traditional risk groups associated with the disease.
When to get a Hepatitis B vaccine
People should get 3 doses of Hepatitis B vaccine according to the following schedule. If you miss
a dose or get behind schedule, get the next dose as soon as you can. There is no need to start over.
- The second dose must be given at least 1 month after the first dose
- The third dose must be given at least 2 months after the second dose and at least 4 months after the first
- The third dose should not be given to infants under 6 months of age, because this could reduce long-term protection
Adolescents 11 to 15 years of age may need only two doses of Hepatitis B vaccine, separated by 4-6 months.
Hepatitis B vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.
|
