Hepatitis B Vaccine

Why get vaccinated?

Hepatitis B is a serious disease. The hepatitis B virus can cause short-term (acute) illness that leads to: loss of appetite, tiredness, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice, pain in the muscles, joints and stomach.

It can also cause long-term (chronic) illness that leads to:
liver damage, liver cancer and death.

About 1025 million people in the U.S. have chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Each year it is estimated that 200,000 people, mostly young adults, get infected with Hepatitis B virus. More than 11,000 people have to stay in the hospital because of hepatitis B and 4,000 to 5,000 people die from chronic hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccine prevents hepatitis B. It is the first anti-cancer vaccine because it can prevent a form of liver cancer.

How is hepatitis B virus spread?

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: during birth when the virus passes from an infected mother to baby, injecting illegal drugs, having sex with an infected person, being stuck with a used needle on the job, and by sharing personal items, such as a razor or toothbrush with an infected person.

People can get hepatitis B virus infection without knowing how they got it. About 1/3 of hepatitis B cases in the United States have an unknown source.

Who should get hepatitis B vaccine and when?

• Everyone 18 years of age and younger
• Adults over 18 who are at risk

Adults at risk for hepatitis B virus infection include people who have more than one sex partner, men who have sex with other men, injection drug users, health care workers, and others who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids. People should get 3 doses of Hepatitis B vaccine. All three doses are needed for full and lasting immunity.
Hepatitis B vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.

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.

University Health Services give the vaccine at 0, 1 and 6 months. Health care workers should have a hepatitis B surface antibody titer one month after the last dose. This is a simple blood draw that will check for immunity to the Hepatitis B virus. A positive titer means that you have immunity. If your titer is negative, a booster dose may be recommended.

Some people should not get Hepatitis B vaccine or should wait.

People should not get Hepatitis B vaccine if they have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to bakers's yeast (the kind used for making bread) or a previous dose of hepatitis B vaccine. People who are moderately or severely ill at the time of the scheduled shot should usually wait until they recover before getting hepatitis B vaccine.

What are the risk from hepatitis B vaccine?

A vaccine like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as a severe allergic reaction. The risk of hepatitis B vaccine causing serious harm, or death is extremely small.

Getting hepatitis B vaccine is much safer than getting hepatitis B disease.

Mild Problems

Mild problems include: Soreness where the shot was given, lasting a day or two, and or moderate fever.

Severe Problems

Severe problems include: Severe allergic reaction, signs of a severe allergic reaction can include difficulty breathing, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a fast heart beat or dizziness. If such a reaction were to occur, it would be within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot.

What should I do in the event of an allergic reaction to the hepatitis B vaccine?

Call you health care provider right away. Tell you health care provider what happened, the date and time it happened, and when the vaccination was given.  Ask your doctor or nurse to file a  Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) form, or call VAERS yourself at 1-800-822-7967.

Visit the CDC's Hepatitis Branch Website