Hepatitis B

How is Hepatitis B spread?

Hepatitis B is spread through contact with blood or bodily fluids of an infected individual.¹

Symptoms

Symptoms¹ of hepatitis B can range from being mild to severe, and usually appear about 1 to 4 months after infection. Oftentimes, infected individuals will appear asymptomatic.

Acute and Chronic Hepatitis B²

Acute Hepatitis B infection: lasts less than 6 months. This will likely be cleared from the immune system and complete recovery should occur within a few months.

Chronic Hepatitis B infection: lasts 6 months or longer. At this point, your immune system cannot fight off the virus. Having a chronic infection can lead to serious complications.

Complications

Chronic Hepatitis B can lead to serious complications², which include:

Hepatitis B Vaccines

There are five vaccines that can help to prevent Hepatitis B:
Engerix-B
Recombivax-B
Pediatrix
Twinrix
Heplisav-B

Hepatitis B Vaccine Safety

The Hepatitis B vaccine does not contain any live viruses, and thus cannot cause the disease. Common side effects that are associated with this vaccine (i.e. redness at injection site, mild fever, joint pain) can expected as with most medications.

Hepatitis B Vaccine Effectiveness

Figure 1.³

This graph shows reported cases of Hepatitis B in the United States from 1966 to 2013. Notice how there is an overall decline of reported cases since the implementation of the vaccine in 1981.

Communities that have very high rates of vaccination further benefit from herd immunity, conferring increased protection to those unable to receive the vaccination.

Hepatitis B Vaccine Schedules

Present Vaccine schedule based on CDC recommendations⁴ for the Hepatitis B vaccine. Click here for more information regarding the vaccination schedule.

How do I know if I am protected against Hepatitis B?

Your vaccination records are the best way of knowing if you have been vaccinated. If these records cannot be found, your doctor may perform a blood test. Speak with your doctor if you are unsure about your immune status.

Types of Hepatitis B Vaccines

Side Effects

In some cases, vaccines may cause side effects. Always speak with your doctor about concerns you may have.

Severe Allergic Reactions

In very rare cases, severe allergic reactions have been observed. Let your doctor know if you have ever experienced any allergic reactions to vaccines.

Anaphylaxis has recorded in roughly 1 out of every 1.1 million doses administered.

The Bottom Line

Chronic Hepatitis B is known to be a "silent killer" because those infected often show no symptoms, and early screening tests can show normal results. By the time symptoms do appear, finding an effective treatment is unlikely. Therefore, it is important for children and adults to be vaccinated against this disease so as to decrease the risk of having liver complications.