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Hepatitis B (HBV) is a virus that infects the liver. It can lead to chronic liver disease and increase a person’s risk for developing liver cancer.��

The virus is transmitted through infected blood or body fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions and saliva, says Dr. Allison Gorman, an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Assistant Attending Pediatrician at �ǿմ�ý.��

Babies can acquire hepatitis B during delivery if born to a person with a hepatitis B infection, she says.����

While some adult transmission occurs through exposure to contaminated needles and sexual activity, ��HBV can also be acquired through sharing personal items, such as razors, toothbrushes or gum, with an infected person, or touching their fresh skin breaks, cuts, burns or blood.��

In the United States, approximately a third of people who contract hepatitis B ������’t identify the source of their infection.  More than half of them are unaware of their infection status, and approximately 50 to 70 percent of people with acute hepatitis B are asymptomatic.��

The HBV vaccine��

Like other vaccines, the HBV vaccine works by stimulating the immune system to recognize a specific protein on the hepatitis B virus. Once immunized, if a person is exposed to HBV, their immune system will be able to target the virus with antibodies to prevent infection.��

“The vaccine is highly effective, with a protective antibody response achieved more than 90 percent of the time in adults and 95 percent in infants,” Dr. Gorman says, “plus the protection is long-term.”����

She goes on to explain that receiving the hepatitis B vaccine as an infant can also prevent infection if exposed later in life. “Implementation of the HBV vaccine program has led to a dramatic decline in the prevalence the disease in children, and of chronic HBV in adults.” ��

When should babies receive the vaccine?��

Babies should receive a 3-dose hepatitis B vaccine series. The first dose is recommended shortly after birth.  The additional doses are recommended at 1 to 2 months and 6 to 18 months, with most infants receiving the HBV shot along with their other childhood vaccines at 2 and 6 months. ��

“Studies have shown that babies who receive their first dose in the nursery are more likely to complete the full series and thus be fully protected as soon as possible,” says Dr. Gorman. ��

Are expectant mothers screened for HBV?��

Yes, hepatitis B screening is standard during pregnancy, as this will help inform the management of the baby after delivery.����

“To prevent the development of hepatitis B infection in the baby,” says Dr. Karen Acker, an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Assistant Attending Pediatrician at �ǿմ�ý, “w�� recommend that newborns receive a dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, along with a dose of HBV antibodies (called hepatitis B immune globulin, or HBIG).”��

What are the symptoms of HBV?��

As with many liver diseases, the symptoms of viral hepatitis can be vague, such as fatigue, poor appetite, an upset stomach or yellowing of the eyes or skin. “You may be chronically infected and remain asymptomatic for years,” Dr. Acker says. “That’s why it’s so important for expectant mothers to get screened—and vaccinated.”��

Are  there any safety risks associated with the vaccine?��

The HBV vaccine is extremely safe, and serious safety events are rare. More than a billion doses have been administered globally since the 1980s, and serious adverse events and allergic reactions have rarely been reported. The most common side effects are pain at the injection site in fewer than 10 percent of children, along with mild complaints of fatigue, headache and irritability in up to 20 percent of children. A low-grade fever occurs in up to 6 percent.��