HEPATITIS B

Hepatitis B is a serious infection which is transmitted by contact with infected blood or body fluids.

Infection may result in acute hepatitis with jaundice, but more often results in the development of a chronic carrier state which may have no associated symptoms (and for which there is no treatment).

Carriers pass on the infection for many years and are at a high risk of developing chronic active hepatitis and liver cancer.

Hepatitis B is most commonly transmitted by sharing injection equipment, needle-stick injury, sexually or from a carrier mother passing it on to her child at birth or while breast feeding.

Since 2000, hepatitis B has been part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule, with doses given at birth, 2, 4 and 6 months.

Older children and adults can be immunised – 3 injections are required, with injections 1 and 6 months after the first dose. Subsequent ‘boosters’ are not normally required.

People at high risk of infection (e.g. health care workers and those with reduced immunity) can have a blood test after vaccination to ensure that the course has been effective.

Hepatitis B is also available in combination with hepatitis A vaccine.

The following people are strongly advised to be immunised:

- health care workers, dentists, embalmers, tattooists and body piercers

- police, members of the armed forces and emergency service personnel

- injecting drug users

- those with chronic liver disease or hepatitis C

- inmates and staff in correctional facilities

- long-term visitors to areas with high incidence e.g. S E Asia and China

- recipients of blood products e.g. haemophilia

- residents and staff in facilities for the intellectually disabled

- individuals adopting children from areas of high incidence

- staff in child care centres and schools

- those involved in contact sports

Hepatitis B is not a live vaccine.

Adverse reactions are infrequent – most often feeling ‘off colour’ and soreness at the site of injection. Fever is uncommon.

The vaccine should NOT be given if there has been a serious reaction to previous hepatitis b vaccine, or if there is a severe allergy to yeast.

Hepatitis B vaccine can be given during pregnancy.

There is no benefit, or harm, in vaccinating hepatitis B carriers.