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Why get
vaccinated?
How is Hepatitis B virus
spread?
Who
should get hepatitis B vaccine and when?
Vaccination Schedule
Some
people should not get hepatitis B vaccine or should wait
What are the risks
from hepatitis B vaccine?
What if there
is a moderate or severe reaction?
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation
Program
How can I learn more?
Why get
Vaccinated?
Hepatitis B is a
serious disease.
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause short-term (acute) illness
that leads to: |
- loss of appetite
- tiredness
- pain in muscles, joints and stomach
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- diarrhea and vomiting
- jaundice (yellow skin or eyes)
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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 vaccine can prevent 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 bodily
fluids of an infected person. A person can get infected in several
ways, such as: |
- by having unprotected sex with an infected person
- by sharing needles when injecting illegal drugs
- by 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.
Who
should get hepatitis B vaccine and when?
1) Everyone 18 years of age and younger
2) Adults over 18 years of age 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
- sexual contacts with infected people
- people who inject illegal drugs
- health care and public safety workers who might be exposed to
infected blood or bodily fluids
- household contacts of persons with chronic HBV infection
- hemodialysis patients
If you are not sure whether you are at risk, ask your
doctor or nurse.
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.
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W
H
E
N
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Hepatitis B
Vaccination Schedule |
Infant whose mother is infected with HBV |
WHO?
Infant whose mother is not infected with HBV |
Older child, adolescent, or adult |
First dose
Second dose
Third Dose |
Within 12 hours of birth
1-2 months of age
6 months of age |
Birth-2 months of age
1-4 months of age (at least 1 month after first dosage)
6-18 months of age |
Any time
1-2 months after first dose
4-6 months after first dose |
-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. Ask your
health care provider for details.
Hepatitis B vaccine may be given at the
same time as other vaccines.
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 baker's yeast
(the kind used for making bread) or to a previous dose of hepatitis B
vaccine.
People who are moderately or severely ill
at the time of the shot is scheduled should usually wait until they recover
before getting hepatitis B vaccine. Ask your provider for more
information.
What
are the Risks from Hepatitis B Vaccine?
A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of
causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. 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. Most people who get hepatitis B vaccine do not have any problems
with it.
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Mild problems |
- soreness where the shot is given, lasting a day or two (up to
1 out of 11 children and adolescents, and 1 out of 4 adults)
- mild to moderate fever (up to 1 out of 14 children and
adolescents and 1 out of 100 adults)
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Severe problems |
- serious allergic reaction (very rare)
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What
if There is a Moderate or Severe Reaction?
What should I look for?
Any unusual condition, such as a serious allergic reaction, high
fever or unusual behavior. Serious allergic reactions are extremely
rare with any vaccine. If one were to occur, it would be within a
few minutes to a few hours after the shot. Signs can include
difficulty breathing, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness,
weakness, a fast heart beat or dizziness.
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What should I do? |
- Call a doctor or get the person to a doctor right away.
- Tell your doctor what happened, the date, and time it
happened, and when the vaccination was given.
- Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to file a Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) form, or call VAERS
yourself at 1-800-822-7967
The
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
In the rare event that you or your child has a serious reaction
to a vaccine, a federal program has been created to help you pay for
the care of those who have been harmed.
For details about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation's
Program call 1-800-338-2382 or visit the program's website at
http://www.hrsa.dhhs.gov/bhpr/vicp
How can I learn more?
- Ask your doctor or nurse. They can give you the vaccine
package insert or suggest other sources of information.
- Call your local or state health department's
immunization program.
- Contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):|
-Call 1-800-232-2522 (English)
-Call 1-800-232-0233 (Espanol)
-Visit the National Immunization Program's Website at
http://www.cdc.gov/nip
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*Information adapted from U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services,
Center for disease Control and Prevention National Immunization
Program, Vaccine Information Sheet 1998
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