How Effective Is Hepatitis B Vaccine

Us Children And Adult Hepatitis B Vaccine Schedules

*Please note that the first dose should be given as soon as possible. Additional doses require minimum time intervals between doses in order for the vaccine to be effective.

3-Dose Vaccine Series for Children and Adults

The hepatitis B vaccine is an injection that is generally given in the arm as a three-dose series on a 0, 1, and 6-month schedule. Alternative schedules may be considered, noting that a third dose at 6 months, meeting minimum intervals between doses, is needed for maximum, long-term protection. Completing the hepatitis B vaccine series, preferably beginning at birth, will ensure protection against hepatitis B, hepatitis delta and lower the lifetime risk of liver cancer. Greater than 90% of babies and up to 50% of young children who are not vaccinated and are infected with hepatitis B will have lifelong infection, which makes the birth dose essential to their protection.

There are four, 3-dose vaccine brands approved in the U.S.

• PreHevbrio PreHevbrio is only approved for adults age 18 and over.

2-Dose Vaccine Series

Why Should I Vaccinate My Newborn Child If I Know That I Am Not Infected With Hepatitis B Virus

Before the hepatitis B vaccine, every year in the United States about 18,000 children were infected with hepatitis B virus by the time they were 10 years old. This statistic is especially important because people are much more likely to develop liver cancer or cirrhosis if they are infected early in life, rather than later in life .

About 9,000 of the 18,000 children infected in the first 10 years of life caught the virus from their mother during birth. However, many young children didn’t catch the disease from their mother. They caught it from either another family member or someone else who came in contact with the child. Because hepatitis B can be transmitted by relatively casual contact with items contaminated with the blood of an infected person, and because many people who are infected with hepatitis B virus don’t know that they have it, it is virtually impossible to be “careful enough” to avoid this infection.

For these reasons, all young children are recommended to receive the hepatitis B vaccine. The best time to receive the first dose is right after birth. This will ensure that the child will be protected as early as possible from catching hepatitis B from people who dont know that they are infected with the virus.

Listen to Dr. Offit explain why newborns get the hepatitis B vaccine by watching this short video, part of the series Talking About Vaccines with Dr. Paul Offit.

Pregnancy And Hepatitis B

Doctors must closely monitor pregnant people who have HBV.

There is a risk that the virus can pass from parent to child during delivery without the correct treatment. Therefore, all people should receive hepatitis B testing during pregnancy. A person with chronic hepatitis B should talk with a doctor about the risks and benefits of antiviral treatment while pregnant.

According to the Hepatitis B Foundation, if someone has HBV, their newborn must immediately receive the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin within 12 hours of birth. The infant should then receive the second and third doses of the vaccine according to the standard childhood immunization schedule.

Pregnant people unsure of their vaccination status can receive the hepatitis B vaccine during pregnancy and breastfeeding or chestfeeding.

However, there is currently not enough safety information about Heplisav-B and PreHevbrio, so pregnant people

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What Is Hepatitis B

Viral hepatitis type B caused by the hepatitis B virus is a serious, potentially life-threatening disease that can be prevented by vaccination. Most people that are HBV infected remain asymptomatic and do not know their hepatitis status for many years. Only some individuals newly infected with HBV have symptoms . The symptoms can include extreme fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, and jaundice. Most available scientific evidence suggests that HBV is not directly cytopathic, but that liver damage is caused by the cellular response to viral proteins in infected hepatocytes . For many people, hepatitis B is a short-term illness as clinical signs and symptoms of acute hepatitis B usually resolve within 1 to 3 months . Fulminant liver failure occurs in approximately 0.5% to 1.0% of adults with reported acute hepatitis B. In a subset of persons, the HBV can also cause a chronic liver infection that can later develop into cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma . The course of chronic HBV infection is dynamic with different clinical phases, each of which potentially lasts for decades . Most of the disease burden associated with HBV infection occurs among persons with chronic infection .

Is It Okay To Get An Extra Dose Of Hepatitis B Vaccine

Yes. Although extra doses of vaccine are not recommended, you can think of the extra dose as another chance for the immune system to see the hepatitis B virus. A vaccine is not the only time the immune system will see the virus or bacteria contained in it. People may be exposed to the virus or bacteria at school or the store or when visiting family or friends. An extra dose of vaccine is like one more exposure, except the difference is that the virus or bacteria in any vaccine has been made safe, so it wont make you ill.

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Who Should Get The Hbv Vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children and adults up to age 59 should receive the hepatitis B vaccine.

Infants should get their first hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth and complete their doses by age 6 to 18 months.

All unvaccinated children and adults through age 59 should receive the vaccine. Also, unvaccinated adults over the age 60 who are at risk of hepatitis B should get the vaccine.

Adults over age 60 who are not at risk of hepatitis B may also choose to get the shot.

Several types of the HBV vaccine are also safe to administer to pregnant women.

• people who have had more than one sex partner in the last 6 months
• men who have sex with men
• people seeking treatment for a sexually transmitted infection
• people whose partners or household members have hepatitis B
• people who inject drugs
• people who live or work in care facilities
• people who are on dialysis
• travelers to countries where hepatitis B is common
• people with chronic liver disease, HIV, or hepatitis C
• people who are in jail or prison

People who have diabetes should talk with a healthcare professional about their risk for contracting hepatitis B.

Why A Variety Of Hepatitis B Vaccine Schedules Have Been Used

Generally, the recommended number of doses of hepatitis B vaccine required to induce protective immunity varies by product and with the age of the recipient. Historically, the standard 3-dose hepatitis B vaccine series has consisted of 2 priming doses administered 1 month apart and a third dose administered 6 months after the first dose. Today, the WHO recommends multiple options for adding hepatitis B vaccine to existing infant immunization schedules. Several options are considered to be appropriate for infants: 1 birth dose followed by either 2 doses of monovalent or hepatitis B containing combination vaccine at 1 and 6 months of age or at 2, 4, and 6 months of age or at 3, 5, and 11 months of age or at 8, 12, 16 weeks and 12 or 15 months or at 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age, according to the WHOs Expanded Programme on Immunization schedule . Currently, a variety of hepatitis B vaccine schedules have been used successfully worldwide. In general, preference is given to effective options that require minimal additional visits for immunization, to increase compliance and to reduce the logistics burden.

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The Impact Of Worldwide Hepatitis B Vaccination Programs: Model Of Success

A, Immunization coverage with third dose of hepatitis B in infants in 2019. B, Global immunization 19892019 HepB3 coverage in infants. Global coverage was 84% in 2019. Abbreviations: AFR,African region AMR,Americas region EMR,Eastern Mediterranean region EUR,European region SEAR,South-East Asia region WPR,Western Pacific region. Source: United Nations Children’s Fund /World Health Organization.

The success of HBV vaccination programs has been clearly demonstrated over the recent years in several regions around the world. Countries that have adopted the recommendation had a marked reduction in carrier rates as well as complications from HBV, including HCC. The low prevalence of chronic HBV infection in children younger than 5 years, reducing from 4.7% in the prevaccine era to less than 1% in 2019, can be attributed to the widespread use of hepatitis B vaccine. Due to the implementation of routinely birth-dose vaccination the greatest decrease appears to be in the Western Pacific region, from 8.3% HBsAg prevalence in the prevaccine era to 0.93% in 20022015 . Among health care workers, hepatitis B vaccination is highly effective for the prevention of healthcare associated HBV infection and chronic infection. Using mathematical models, it was estimated that since their implementation, HBV vaccination programs have averted 210 million new HBV infections globally .

What Are The Side Effects

The most common of the hepatitis B vaccine are mild and include:

• Sore arm from the shot.

Prepare for your child’s vaccine visit and learn about how you can:

• Research vaccines and ready your child before the visit
• Comfort your child during the appointment
• Care for your child after the shot

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More Information On Side Effects

Reactions listed under âpossible side effectsâ or âadverse eventsâ on vaccine product information sheets may not all be directly linked to the vaccine. See Vaccine side effects and adverse reactions for more information on why this is the case.

If you are concerned about any reactions that occur after vaccination, consult your doctor. In the UK you can report suspected vaccine side effects to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency through the Yellow Card Scheme

Why Should My Baby Get The Hepatitis B Shot

• Protects your child from against hepatitis B, a potentially serious disease.
• Protects other people from the disease because children with hepatitis B usually dont have symptoms, but they may pass the disease to others without anyone knowing they were infected.
• Prevents your child from developing liver disease and cancer from hepatitis B.
• Keeps your child from missing school or child care and you from missing work.

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Why You Should Get The Hepatitis B Vaccine

During the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been much controversy over vaccines. Although there has always been an anti-vaccine movement, it has grown during the pandemic. However, despite all of that, it is highly recommended that people who are at risk get the hepatitis B vaccine. Almost 300 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis B and almost 800,000 people die every year due to hepatitis B complications. In fact, hepatitis B is the greatest risk factor for developing liver cancer . The hepatitis B vaccine is simple and effective. It requires either 2 or 3 shots over a few months. It is one of the most-administered vaccines worldwide, and one of the safest, with few side effects!

There are many groups that may need the vaccine. These include but are not limited to:

Now, this is a large list of people who might need the vaccine, but how hard is it to receive one? It is one of the easiest vaccines to get. Most hospitals carry the vaccine, and in the UK, hospitals are required to give the vaccine to at-risk groups. In the United States, the Affordable Care Act should cover preventive services so the hepatitis B vaccine should be mostly available free of cost.

If you are unsure of your hepatitis B status, ask your doctor or primary care provider to become tested! The hepatitis B test is super simple it only requires one blood sample. Your doctor should order the hepatitis B panel which includes different tests. Read more hepatitis B testinghere!

Complications Of Hepatitis B Infection In Infants And Children

Mothers who are infected with hepatitis B can pass the virus to their baby at the time of birth. Hepatitis B virus can also be spread through exposure of broken skin or mucous membranes to the blood or other body fluids of an infected person.

Babies born to mothers with hepatitis B are recommended a dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth as well as another medicine called hepatitis B immunoglobulin. These 2 injections provide extra protection for babies born to women living with hepatitis B.

Many people who are infected with hepatitis B have no symptoms. Babies and children who are infected with hepatitis B are less likely than adults to have symptoms of infection, but are more likely to develop chronic hepatitis B.

Symptoms of hepatitis B include:

• Yellow skin and eyes
• Aching muscles or joints arthritis.

A child who contracts chronic hepatitis B has an increased risk of developing chronic liver disease and cancer later in life. A small proportion of adults who become infected with the hepatitis B virus develop chronic hepatitis B infection.

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Why Is The Hepatitis B Vaccine Important

Because of the vaccine, cases of acute hepatitis B have decreased by a lot in the United States. But chronic hepatitis B is still common up to 2.2 million people in the United States have it. Chronic hepatitis B can lead to serious liver problems and even death.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by a virus. There are 2 types of hepatitis B:

• Acute hepatitis B
• Chronic hepatitis B

Many children who get acute hepatitis B dont have any symptoms, but most adults do. Symptoms may include:

• Dark pee or clay-colored poop
• Pain in the muscles, joints, and stomach

Acute hepatitis B symptoms usually last a few weeks but they can last as long as 6 months.

If the acute hepatitis B infection does not go away after 6 months, its considered a chronic hepatitis B infection. Most people who have chronic hepatitis B dont have symptoms at first. But chronic hepatitis B is a lifelong illness that can lead to serious and possibly deadly liver problems, like:

• Has sex with a person who has hepatitis B
• Touches the blood or open sores of a person who has hepatitis B

All children and most adults need to get the hepatitis B vaccine.

Infants and children

All children need to get the hepatitis B vaccine as part of their routine vaccine schedule.

Children need 3 doses of the vaccine at the following ages:

• Birth for the first dose
• 1 through 2 months for the second dose
• 6 through 18 months for the third dose

Adults

How Can I Contract Hepatitis B

You can contract hepatitis B by coming into contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.

Resort activities that may put you at risk for hepatitis B include:

Getting a manicure, pedicure, tattoo, piercing, or acupuncture with improperly sterilized tools

Having sexual contact with an infected partner

Giving first aid to, or receiving it from, an infected person

Receiving a medical or dental procedure with contaminated equipment

Sharing personal grooming items with an infected person

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Transmission Symptoms And Treatment

How is HBV transmitted?

HBV is transmitted through activities that involve percutaneous or mucosal contact with infectious blood or body fluids , including

• sex with a partner who has HBV infection
• injection drug use that involves sharing needles, syringes, or drug-preparation equipment
• birth to a person who has HBV infection
• contact with blood from or open sores on a person who has HBV infection
• exposures to needle sticks or sharp instruments and
• sharing certain items with a person who has HBV infection that can break the skin or mucous membranes , potentially resulting in exposure to blood.

How long does HBV survive outside the body?

HBV can survive outside the body and remains infectious for at least 7 days .

What should be used to clean environmental surfaces potentially contaminated with HBV?

Any blood spills should be disinfected using a 1:10 dilution of one part household bleach to 9 parts water. Gloves should be worn when cleaning up any blood spills.

Who is at risk for HBV infection?

The following populations are at increased risk for becoming infected with HBV:

• Infants born to people with HBV infection
• Sex partners of people with HBV infection
• Men who have sex with men
• People who inject drugs
• Household contacts or sexual partners of known people with chronic HBV infection
• Health care and public safety workers at risk for occupational exposure to blood or blood-contaminated body fluids
• Patients on hemodialysis

Who should be screened for HBV?

Effectiveness Of The Hepatitis B Vaccine Post

Background:

Stem cell transplants are important in treating many diseases. There are two main types of transplants. Autologous stem cells come from the person getting the cells. Allogeneic stem cells come from another person. The risk of hepatitis B virus is high after allogeneic SCT. Even if a person receives the HBV vaccine after transplant, he or she may not really be immune to HBV. The person may become immune only after repeated series of the vaccine. Researchers need to learn more about the HBV vaccine in people after transplant so it can be most effective.

Objective:

To assess the rate of achieved HBV immunity for people who had an SCT who did not become immune with the first vaccine series and require 2 or more series.

Eligibility:

People who have had at least 1 dose of the HBV vaccine and were enrolled in these protocols: 99-H-0050, 10-H-0154, and 08-H-0046

Design:

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Patient must have received at least one dose of the hepatitis B vaccine and been enrolled in the following NHLBI protocols: 99-H-0050, 10-H-0154, and 08-H-0046.
• Post-vaccination titers must be available for patients included in the study.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

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