Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:
Hepatitis B Vaccination
Pronounced (hep-ah-TY-tiss)
Hepatitis B is a serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. The virus, which is called hepatitis B virus (HBV), can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death.
Hepatitis B vaccine is available for all age groups to prevent HBV infection.
What You Should Know:
For Health Professionals:
What You Should Know
- CDC's official Hepatitis B website
- Brief description
Symptoms, treatment, transmission, etc. - Frequently Asked Questions
- About hepatitis B and hepatitis B vaccination
UPDATED
Parent's Guide to Childhood Immunization (screen-reader version) - Pictures of Hepatitis B
Warning: Some of these photos are quite graphic. - Video
clips about Hepatitis B (exit)
Warning: Some of these video images are quite graphic. - What if we stopped vaccinating for this disease?
- CDC en Español! - Hepatitis
The vaccination schedule most often used for adults and children has been three intramuscular injections, the second and third administered 1 and 6 months after the first. Recombivax HB® has been approved as a two dose schedule for aged 11-15 years. Twinrix® has also been approved as a four dose accelerated schedule.
- Hepatitis B Vaccine: Fact Sheet
- Questions and Answers
- As an adult, do I need this vaccine?
(19 years and older) - Side Effects
- Precautions, side-effects, and combination vaccines
Parents Guide to Immunizations (screen-reader version) - Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
- State Vaccine Requirements
- Travelers information
Vaccine information and recommended doses, etc.
There is no confirmed evidence which indicates that hepatitis B vaccine can cause chronic illnesses.
- Hair Loss and Vaccines
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Hepatitis B Vaccine
- The Safety of Multiple Vaccines
For example, DTaP-Hib and Hib-HepB (hepatitis B)
As with all vaccines, there can be minor reactions, including pain and redness at the injection site, headache, fatigue or a vague feeling of discomfort.
- Hepatitis
B Vaccine: Fact Sheet
Hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective
For Health Professionals
Clinical
- Pink Book's chapter on Hepatitis B
Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases textbook - Ask the Experts: Hepatitis B (exit)
- NIPINFO answers your questions about Hep B
- Pediarix™ vaccine: questions and answers
- Hepatitis B vaccination of adults: occupational health providers
- MMWR: Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis
- Recommended dosages & schedules of hepatitis A vaccines and hepA/hepB combination vaccines (exit)
- Proper storage and handling of vaccines
- Standing Orders (exit)
Hepatitis B and Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Hepatitis B - Frequently Asked Questions
- Hepatitis B and You
Designed for use by public health, obstetric professionals, and other health professionals to educate women who test positive for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) during pregnancy. - Hep B and Moms to Be (exit)
- Perinatal Hepatitis B Coordinator Resource Center
- HIPAA and perinatal hepatitis B prevention
- Resources for clinicians (exit)
- Recommendations, resources, & general info from IAC (exit)
Recommendations
- Hepatitis B Vaccination of Infants, Children, and Adolescents (ACIP Recommendations)
- Hepatitis B vaccination recommendations for adults MMWR December 2006
- Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Recommendations (exit) NEW July 28
- Guidelines for Prevention and Control of Infections with Hepatitis Viruses in Correctional Settings
- Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis
- Recommendations for Preventing Transmission of Infections Among Chronic Hemodialysis Patients
- Hemodialysis guidelines
- Contraindications
- ACIP - Vaccines for Children (VFC) Resolution
References and Resources
- Hepatitis B related-MMWR reports
- Pink Book's chapter on Hepatitis B
Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases textbook - Surveillance manual's chapter on Hepatitis
B
Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases textbook - Surveillance Forms, Disease Burden Data & Publications
- Hepatitis A & B Vaccines (exit)
(33 pages)
From the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors - contains general info about the vaccines; roles of state healthcare service providers; populations that need the vaccines; and lessons learned from implementing vaccination programs. - Travelers Health: Yellow Book
- Hepatitis websites listed by state
Provider Education
- Clinical
education slide set
from the "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases" course - Newsletter from IAC "Hep Express" (exit)
Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) - Cases of Harm Resulting from Missed Birth Dose
- "Your
patient is relying on YOU to protect her baby
from hepatitis B" (exit)
(brochure for physicians)
Source: Ohio Department of Health Immunization Program - Podcast on Hepatitis B
Materials for Patients
- CDC patient materials (brochures, posters, etc.)
- Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
- CDC Educational materials
- Hepatitis
A, B, and C: Learn the Differences (exit)
From the Immunization Action Coalition - Protect
your baby for life from hepatitis B (brochure) (other languages)
- Hep B and Moms to Be (exit)
- What I need to know about Hepatitis B (exit)
- Hepatitis B interactive tutorial (exit)
Also available in: Spanish (exit) - Viral hepatitis
materials in languages other than English (exit)
from Immunization Action Coalition - Protect yourself against hepatitis A and hepatitis B: Guide for gay and bisexual men
- CDC en Español! - Hepatitis
- Patient materials and more resources from IAC (exit)
- Stories of people who suffered or died from hepatitis B virus infection (exit)
- Hepatitis B: Questions and Answers (exit)
Ready-to-print versions of one of the CDC-reviewed Q&A material located on IAC's Vaccine Information website (www.vaccineinformation.org) Dated 3/07
Non-CDC Link Disclaimer: Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization web pages found at these links.
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This page last modified on July 28, 2008
Content last reviewed on April 22, 2007
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases