Hepatitis B vaccine protects against hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a serious infection that can cause complications such as liver cancer and cirrhosis. The vaccine gives long-term, possibly life long protection from hepatitis B infection.
Who should get the hepatitis B vaccine and when ?
The vaccine consists of 3 doses.
Schedule
- at birth
- between 1 and 2 months
- between 6 and 18 months
The hepatitis B vaccine may be given by itself or in the same shot with other vaccines.
Some babies may get 4 doses if , for example a combination vaccine containing hepatitis B is used. This extra dose is not harmful.
You should get the vaccine if you are up to 18 years of age and didn’t get the vaccine as a child.
Adults who need the vaccine include the following :
- people who inject street drugs
- men who have sex with other men
- people with more than one sex partner
- people with chronic liver or kidney disease
- sex partners of people infected with hepatitis B
- people on kidney dialysis
- people who travel to places with high incidence of hepatitis B
- HIV patients
- if you have diabetes and are under the age of 60
- residents and staff in institutions for the developmentally disabled
- people whose jobs expose them to human blood or other body fluids
Other people who may also be encouraged to get the vaccine include :
- high risk pregnant women who want to protect themselves against the vaccine
- anyone who wants to get protection against the hepatitis B virus
Adults getting the vaccine should get 3 doses. The second dose should be given 4 weeks after the first and the third dose 5 months after the second.
Pregnant women in the United States are tested for hepatitis B. If you test positive , your baby should get an injection of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG), as well as the hepatitis B vaccine, to provide short-term protection within 12 hours of birth.