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Hepatitis B
Which adults need hepatitis B vaccine?
- Any sexually active adult who is not in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship.
- People with diabetes age 19 through 59 years.
- Those with close household contact with an infected person.
- Adults who share needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment.
- Hepatitis B vaccine is available alone or in a combination with hepatitis A vaccine.
- View a full list of adults who need hepatitis B vaccine.
Did you know...
a person infected with the hepatitis B virus may not feel sick but can still infect others?
What happens when someone gets hepatitis B?
- Some people who get hepatitis B infection have health problems in the first six months including loss of appetite, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, and joint pain. Jaundice is another common symptom that causes the whites of the eyes to turn yellow.
- In some people, hepatitis B infection becomes chronic (long-term) and can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer, and even death.
Why is hepatitis B vaccine important?
- The hepatitis B vaccine prevents infection with hepatitis B virus, which causes liver cancer.
- The hepatitis B virus is 100 times more infectious than HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
- Once infected, there is no specific treatment for hepatitis B and the medicines currently available will only work for some people.
- Immunization is the best way to avoid hepatitis B infection.
FAQ: What else causes liver cancer besides hepatitis B?
Smoking, excessive drinking, and family history are among the other risk factors for liver cancer, but chronic infection with hepatitis B is the most common risk factor. People with chronic hepatitis B infections are 100 times more likely to get liver cancer than people without the infection. |
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