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Key Points and Vaccine summary

Table of contents for Hepatitis B Introduction Hepatitis B - The disease Hepatitis B - The vaccine Key Points and Vaccine summary

Key Points

• There are about 350 million carriers of hepatitis B virus worldwide. Most of them are unaware they are carriers.
• People who carry the virus often have no symptoms.
• The hepatitis B virus is spread through unsafe injection practices and needle stick injuries.
• The younger a person is when infected, the less likely it is that symptoms will occur. But it is more likely that he or she will become a carrier of the disease.
• Most infants born to mothers who are carriers are at risk of being infected.
• All children should receive hepatitis B vaccine starting at birth or at the age of four to six weeks, when the first visit to a clinic takes place.
• A chronic carrier is more likely to develop severe chronic liver disease or liver cancer in later life.

Vaccine summary

• Type of vaccine: Recombinant DNA or plasma-derived
• Number of doses: Three doses
• Schedule: Several options (see previous)
• Booster: None
• Contraindications: Anaphylactic reaction to a previous dose
• Adverse reactions: Local soreness and redness, rarely anaphylactic reaction
• Special precautions: Birth dose must be given if there is a risk of perinatal transmission
• Dosage: 0.5ml
• Injection site: Outer mid-thigh (infants)/outer upper arm (children and adults)
• Injection type: Intramuscular
• Storage: Store between 2°C–8°C. Never freeze

Hepatitis B: 1,2,3,4