HEPATITIS B

Vaccine-Preventable Series: Hepatitis B, explained—what it does, how it spreads, and how we prevent it

WHAT DOES THIS DISEASE DO

A viral infection that attacks the liver and can lead to chronic disease, liver cirrhosis, cancer, and death.

BY THE NUMBER: THEN VS NOW (USA) — HEPATITIS B

Before vaccine (pre-1982)

• Cases: About 200,000–300,000 new infections annually in the United States

• Hospitalizations: A substantial proportion of symptomatic cases required medical care

• Deaths: ~5,000 deaths per year from hepatitis B and its complications

After vaccine introduction (recent years)

• Cases: 2,214 reported acute cases in 2023. Estimated ~14,400 actual infections after adjusting for underreporting

• Hospitalizations: In 2023, 64% of cases with available data were hospitalized

• Deaths: 1,769 hepatitis B–related deaths reported in 2023

Hepatitis B vaccination has dramatically reduced new infections, especially in children, but chronic infections still cause significant deaths each year.

THE VACCINE

Who gets it:

• All infants (at birth)

• Children and adolescents

• Adults at risk or unvaccinated

Doses:

• 2, 3, or 4 doses, depending on the vaccine type and schedule

WHO IS AT RISK

• Unvaccinated individuals

• Infants born to infected mothers

• Healthcare workers

• People with multiple sexual partners

• People who inject drugs

HOW IT SPREADS

Hepatitis B spreads through contact with infected blood, semen, or other body fluids, including from mother to baby at birth.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

Signs & Symptoms:

• Fever

• Fatigue

• Loss of appetite

• Nausea and vomiting

• Abdominal pain

• Dark urine

• Jaundice

COMPLICATIONS

• Chronic liver infection

• Liver cirrhosis

• Liver cancer

• Liver failure

• Death