Hepatitis B Vaccine Summary
Hepatitis B Vaccine Summary The hepatitis B virus is a serious infection that affects the liver. Hepatitis B can cause acute (short-term) illness, more common among adults, which can lead to symptoms such as; loss of appetite, tiredness, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), or pain in muscles, joints, and stomach (CDC, 2012). Some people go on to develop chronic (long-term) infection leading to liver damage (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and death. Hepatitis B is spread through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person. Someone may also be infected from contact with a contaminated object, where the virus can live for up to 7 days (CDC, 2012). The hepatitis B vaccine can prevent this disease,
and the life threatening conditions it causes. Children and adolescents normally receive 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine: first dose at birth, second dose at 1-2 months of age, and third dose at 6-18 months of age. Anyone who is 18 years of age or younger who didn’t receive the vaccine should also be vaccinated (CDC, 2012). All unvaccinated adults at risk for contracting the hepatitis B virus, should be vaccinated. This includes:
• Sex partners of people infected with hepatitis B
• Men who have sex with men
• People who inject street drugs
• People with more then one sex partner
• People with chronic liver or kidney disease
• People under 60 years of age with diabetes
• People with jobs that expose them to human blood or other body fluids
• Household contacts of people infected with hepatitis B
• Residents and staff in institutions for the developmentally disabled
• Kidney dialysis patients
• People who travel to countries where hepatitis B is common
• People with HIV infection
Anyone who wants to be protected from hepatitis B infection may get the vaccine. Adults should get 3 doses, with the second dose given 4 weeks after the first and the third dose 5 months after the second (CDC, 2012). According to the CDC, “vaccination gives long-term protection from hepatitis B infection, possibly lifelong (2012).” References
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), (2012) Hepatitis B Vaccine [Pamphlet]. (n.p.)
and the life threatening conditions it causes. Children and adolescents normally receive 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine: first dose at birth, second dose at 1-2 months of age, and third dose at 6-18 months of age. Anyone who is 18 years of age or younger who didn’t receive the vaccine should also be vaccinated (CDC, 2012). All unvaccinated adults at risk for contracting the hepatitis B virus, should be vaccinated. This includes:
• Sex partners of people infected with hepatitis B
• Men who have sex with men
• People who inject street drugs
• People with more then one sex partner
• People with chronic liver or kidney disease
• People under 60 years of age with diabetes
• People with jobs that expose them to human blood or other body fluids
• Household contacts of people infected with hepatitis B
• Residents and staff in institutions for the developmentally disabled
• Kidney dialysis patients
• People who travel to countries where hepatitis B is common
• People with HIV infection
Anyone who wants to be protected from hepatitis B infection may get the vaccine. Adults should get 3 doses, with the second dose given 4 weeks after the first and the third dose 5 months after the second (CDC, 2012). According to the CDC, “vaccination gives long-term protection from hepatitis B infection, possibly lifelong (2012).” References
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), (2012) Hepatitis B Vaccine [Pamphlet]. (n.p.)