Daily HealthBeat Tip - February 02, 2007

Hep B

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Kids may be better protected than some parents against hepatitis B, a viral infection that can lead to liver damage, cancer and death.

That's because almost all children receive hepatitis B vaccine while most adults at risk for this infection do not. Such adults include persons who have unprotected sex, who handle blood, or who live with infected people.

To better protect adults at risk, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new recommendations to make it easier for adults to receive hepatitis B vaccine. The CDC's Dr. John Ward:

"We are very emphatic and very clear when we say that all an adult really has to do to receive this vaccine is to go to their physician and ask for it." (nine seconds)

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: February, 02 2007