Paging Dr. Frischer: Hepatitis B vaccine
I get a lot of questions about the vaccine for hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a viral illness that can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death. The World Health Organization estimates that 254 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B in 2022, and that there are 1.2 million new infections each year.
Hepatitis B can be prevented by a series of three vaccines that are safe, available, and effective. Immunity lasts for at least 30 years among healthy people who start the vaccines when they are under six months old. Who should be vaccinated? In general, all babies at birth, unvaccinated children under 19, anyone between 19 and 59, and those aged 60 or older with risk factors.
Why is it so critical that infants and children be vaccinated? Those who are infected as adults develop chronic hepatitis in less than 5% of cases, whereas infection in infancy and early childhood leads to chronic hepatitis an astonishing 95% of the time!
How do we get hepatitis B? The virus can be transmitted to a baby from the mother during childbirth, through contact with infected blood or other body fluids during sex, and through exposure to sharp instruments (think needles, tattoos, and piercings).
The CDC recently stated that all adults should be screened at least once, regardless of whether they have risk factors. Those with additional risk factors include residents and staff at certain facilities, health care and public safety personnel with risk for exposure to blood or blood-contaminated body fluids, people with diabetes and other chronic diseases, and international travelers to countries with high or intermediate levels of hepatitis B.
The hepatitis B virus can survive outside the body for at least seven days. Most people don’t experience any symptoms when newly infected, but later symptoms can include yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine, feeling very tired, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. 95% of adults with Hepatitis B do recover. The other 5% develop chronic hepatitis, and one in 200,000 dies from the disease.
Treatment for hepatitis B includes a good diet, fluids, rest, and medicine to relieve symptoms. Chronic hepatitis B can be treated with antiviral oral medications.
How do we prevent hepatitis B? Preventive measures include practicing safe sex with condoms, limiting the number of sexual partners, avoiding shared needles used for drugs, piercings or tattoos, and washing hands thoroughly when coming in contact with blood, body fluids and contaminated surfaces. But most importantly, if you have not had this safe and effective vaccine, I urge you to become vaccinated immediately.