Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis B is one form of hepatitis which is caused by a virus. It is one of the most serious types of hepatitis disease.
While most people infected with hepatitis B will clear the infection, up to 10% of older children and adults will continue to carry the virus in their bloodstream for many years. Up to 25% of those who remain infected will develop severe scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), liver failure or liver cancer after many years.
The hepatitis B virus lives in blood or other body fluids. It is spread through blood-to-blood contact with an infected person, eg. sharing needles or syringes, coming into contact with inadequately sterilised infected instruments (such as those used for tattooing and body piercing) and sexual contact. Babies with infected mothers are also at very high risk of being infected with hepatitis B at birth.
Health care workers can also be infected by accidental contact with infected body fluids, such as needle stick injuries. The infection is NOT passed on through everyday activities such as coughing, sneezing, hugging, shaking hands or sharing food, crockery, baths or toilets.
Some people can develop hepatitis B disease and not be aware they are infected. More than half of those infected with hepatitis B show few or no symptoms. This can be a risk as they may transmit the virus to others without knowing it.
Some people will experience tiredness, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, or 'flu-like' symptoms. However, some people will become very sick with liver failure and about 1% of infected people will die from the initial infection.
Yes. The safest and most effective way to prevent hepatitis B is vaccination. A full course of hepatitis B vaccine provides long lasting protection against the disease and no booster doses are required.
If your child has already had hepatitis B or has already been vaccinated, they are immune to the disease and do not need to be vaccinated.
Children born since 1 May 2000 have been offered hepatitis B vaccine as part of the childhood vaccination schedule. However, prior to that, hepatititis B vaccine was not routinely given.
Do not confuse hepatitis B vaccination with Hib (Haemophilus Influenza type b) vaccination.
The vaccine contains hepatitis B protein, aluminium hydroxide and yeast. Possible side effects include discomfort at the injection site, mild fever, nausea or joint pain. More serious side effects are extremely rare and include severe allergic reaction.
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