Hepatitis B vaccine
This is a practical guide to hepatitis B vaccination.
The best part?
We’ll give you only factual information based on reliable sources and our nearly 20 years of experience in travel medicine.
Contents
At a glance
Required or recommended? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends Hepatitis B vaccine; no countries require it
How is Hepatitis B transmitted? Hepatitis B is transmitted via blood or other body fluids (saliva, semen, and vaginal fluids) or by shared needles or from an infected pregnant woman to her baby.
Is it part of routine childhood immunizations: Yes.
Duration of Hepatitis B vaccine protection: 30 years.- Is an adult booster necessary? Yes, if more than 30 years have passed since the last vaccination and the person is at increased risk of contracting hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B Vaccine Info
Regular schedule
Three doses at months 0, 1, & 4 (beginning six months before departure)
Accelerated schedule
Two doses at months 0 & 1 (beginning at least one month before departure)
94% – 98% protective for at least 20 years
Hepatitis B vaccine protection
About 30 years
Local soreness, swelling, redness
Fever
Headache
Where Hepatitis B is Most Common
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a viral infection that has spread worldwide. More than 257 million people live with chronic hepatitis B. [4] Do I Need the Hepatitis A and B Vaccines? https://www.webmd.com/children/vaccines/need-hepatitis-vaccines The Pacific region, Africa, the eastern Mediterranean region, and Southeast Asia have the highest prevalence of people infected with the hepatitis B virus. See the map below. Note: the risk of hepatitis B acquisition is considered high if 2% or more of a country’s population is HBV-positive.
Disease data source: Schweitzer A, Horn J, Mikolajczyk R, Krause G, Ott J. Estimations of worldwide prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus infection: a systematic review of data published between 1965 and 2013. Lancet. 2015 Oct 17; 386(10003): 1546–1555.
About Hepatitis B Infection
This section summarizes the most important facts about hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B Vaccination FAQ
Here are the questions our patients frequently ask about the hepatitis B vaccination. [1] Hepatitis B Vaccination https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hepb/index.html We’ve answered them based on 20 years of being the busiest travel clinic in Midtown Manhattan. Let’s dive in!
