site of hepatitis b vaccine in newborns :: Article CreatorBenefits Of The Hepatitis B Vaccine For Newborns
Doctors typically recommend the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns within the first day following the birth. It can help to prevent hepatitis B infection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 296 million people live with hepatitis B globally. This statistic includes 2.4 million individuals living in the United States.
Around 25% of people with chronic hepatitis B develop scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), liver failure, or liver cancer. However, immunizations significantly reduce a person's chances of acquiring an infection with the virus. Doctors usually recommend that infants receive their initial hepatitis B vaccine during their first day of life.
Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection. In some cases, it can cause liver cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.
Doctors call hepatitis B a silent infection because many people do not have symptoms when they first contract it. Despite this, they can still pass the virus to others through direct contact with blood, semen, or other bodily fluids that carry the virus.
Birthing parents with the infection can also pass the virus to their infants during birth. However, every newborn is at risk because hepatitis B spreads easily.
Common symptoms of the disease include:
joint pain fever fatigue and tiredness loss of appetite nausea vomiting stomach pain pale or light-colored stools dark urine People may also experience more serious symptoms as the condition progresses, including severe vomiting, yellow eyes or skin, and a swollen stomach.
One reason for this is that the birth parent could pass the infection to the infant — doctors call this perinatal infection.
If a newborn contracts hepatitis B, there is a significant chance that this infection will be chronic, meaning it will persist for a long time. Without treatment, they could develop life threatening liver complications.
Children typically receive the hepatitis B vaccine as a series of three shots:
following birth aged 1–2 months aged 6–18 months If a newborn's birth parent has hepatitis B, they should receive the vaccine within 12 hours following birth. They also require a hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) shot to provide immediate protection.
Additionally, if the infant was born prematurely with low birth weight, they will receive three extra doses of the vaccine.
Babies born to mothers without hepatitis B should receive their first vaccine within 24 hours after birth. If the baby was born prematurely or had a low birth weight, they would receive their first dose at 1 month or when they leave the hospital, whichever comes first.
The main benefit of the vaccine is its effectiveness. The AAP says that if a baby receives the first dose within 24 hours of delivery, the vaccine is 75–95% effective in preventing hepatitis B transmission from parent to infant.
Additionally, if the newborn also receives the medication HBIG at the correct time with a series of follow-up vaccines, the AAP estimates that the infection rate drops to 0.7–1.1%.
Therefore, a baby needs to complete the full series of hepatitis B vaccines for the best possible protection.
Research indicates that hepatitis B vaccines are a safe and effective way to prevent hepatitis B infections.
According to the CDC, the vaccine is very safe, and the full series of the vaccine provides the highest possible level of protection from a hepatitis B infection.
Vaccines are subject to constant safety monitoring both during production and once doctors begin to administer them to people. Any signs of a potentially dangerous response to a vaccine would result in immediate recall, meaning they are generally very safe.
According to the CDC, the hepatitis B vaccine cannot cause hepatitis B.
Although manufacturers use parts of the hepatitis B virus to create the vaccine, these are inactive. They serve only to train the body to fight against the specific cells of the virus.
However, people should know that, as with any medication, the vaccine carries some risk of minor side effects. These include fussiness or soreness at the injection site. However, these usually go away within 72 hours.
Parents and caregivers can minimize these side effects with the following tips:
using a cool, damp cloth to ease soreness and swelling at the injection site reducing fever with a cool water sponge bath giving the child liquids more frequently giving a nonaspirin pain reliever following advice from a doctor monitoring the child for several days and contacting a doctor if there are any concerns While many people misunderstand or misstate the dangers of some aspects of vaccination, there are still possibly severe conditions that doctors may associate with hepatitis B immunizations.
A 2017 review discusses these possible rare complications. However, it is important to note that these results do not mean that the vaccination causes these conditions — instead, there may be an association between them.
Possible conditions include:
the abnormal cessation of breathing, called apnea, in preterm babies vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels a hypotonic-hyporesponsive episode, which causes muscular issues and pale skin immune thrombocytopenic purpura, which causes red spots on the skin An infant may also have an extreme allergic reaction to the vaccine in very rare cases. Any signs of anaphylaxis, such as the baby appearing to have trouble breathing, breaking out in a rash, or changing skin tones, indicate the need for immediate medical attention.
Anaphylaxis: Symptoms and what to do
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can be life threatening. The symptoms develop suddenly and include:
hives swelling of the face or mouth wheezing fast, shallow breathing a fast heart rate clammy skin anxiety or confusion dizziness vomiting blue or white lips fainting or loss of consciousness If someone has these symptoms:
Check whether they are carrying an epinephrine pen. If they are, follow the instructions on the side of the pen to use it. Dial 911 or the number of the nearest emergency department. Assist the person in moving from a sitting position to lying down. If they have vomited, turn them onto their side. Stay with them until the emergency services arrive. Some people may need more than one epinephrine injection. If the symptoms do not improve in 5 to 15 minutes, or they come back, use a second pen if the person has one.
The main risk of the baby not getting the vaccine is that they may contract the hepatitis B virus.
Hepatitis B primarily attacks the liver, causing inflammation that can damage this organ over time. An acute infection lasts for less than 6 months and may cause no symptoms in some people.
Many acute infections resolve without treatment. If the infection persists for 6 months or more, doctors will refer to it as chronic. Chronic infections increase a person's risk of damage to the liver over time.
As this damage builds up, it can scar the liver, which is known as cirrhosis. This long-term damage may result in other complications, including liver cancer.
According to the WHO, about 820,000 people die each year from liver failure or liver cancer resulting from hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B Vaccine: All You Need To Know
Hepatitis B is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The infection can range in severity from mild to acute. It may last just a few weeks or become a serious, chronic, and potentially fatal health condition.
The best way to prevent this infection is to get the hepatitis B vaccine. Here's what you need to know.
The hepatitis B vaccine is used to prevent hepatitis B. It's usually provided in three doses.
The first dose can be taken on a date you choose. The second dose must be taken 1 month later. The third and final dose must be taken 6 months after the first dose.
Some people may need two or four doses of this vaccine.
There is also a newer hepatitis B vaccine that's offered in two doses.
Who should get the HBV vaccine?
Infants should get their first hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth and complete their doses by age 6 to 18 months.
All unvaccinated children and adults through age 59 should receive the vaccine. Also, unvaccinated adults over the age 60 who are at risk of hepatitis B should get the vaccine.
Adults over age 60 who are not at risk of hepatitis B may also choose to get the shot.
Several types of the HBV vaccine are also safe to administer to pregnant women.
people who have had more than one sex partner in the last 6 months men who have sex with men people seeking treatment for a sexually transmitted infection people whose partners or household members have hepatitis B people who inject drugs people who live or work in care facilities people who are on dialysis travelers to countries where hepatitis B is common people with chronic liver disease, HIV, or hepatitis C people who are in jail or prison People who have diabetes should talk with a healthcare professional about their risk for contracting hepatitis B.
Who should not get the hepatitis B vaccine?
Hepatitis B is a safe vaccine that does not contain a live virus.
However, there are some circumstances in which doctors advise against getting the HBV vaccine.
You should not receive the hepatitis B vaccine if:
you've had a serious allergic reaction to a previous dose of the hepatitis B vaccine you have a history of hypersensitivity to yeast or any other HBV vaccine components
How effective is the vaccine?
Research from 2016 showed that the HBV vaccine results in long-term defense against the virus. Studies indicated protection for at least 30 years among healthy vaccinated individuals who started the hepatitis B vaccination before they were 6 months old.
Another 2021 study that involved surveying the health records of more than 64,000 Americans found that the vaccine effectively immunized people against hepatitis B and reduced cancer-related deaths.
The hepatitis B vaccine is considered a very safe and effective vaccine. It's made with an inactivated (dead) virus, so most types of the vaccine are even safe for pregnant people.
The hepatitis B vaccine may cause some mild side effects. The most common symptom is redness, swelling, or soreness where the injection was given. Some people also experience headache or fever. These effects usually last a day or two.
Rarely, some people have a serious and potentially life threatening allergic reaction to the vaccine. Call 911 or get to a hospital immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms after vaccination:
hives swelling in your face and throat dizziness weakness difficulty breathing rapid heartbeat The hepatitis B vaccine is extremely safe. As with any medication, there is a small risk of serious issues after vaccination.
Vaccination is critical for preventing this potentially deadly infection.
The CDC estimates that more than 800,000 Americans are living with chronic hepatitis B, with over 21,000 new diagnoses occurring in 2018.
Many people don't even know they've contracted HBV. Up to 40 percent of people with an untreated chronic HBV infection will develop liver cancer, according to the Hepatitis B Foundation. Thousands of deaths are linked to the virus every year.
The hepatitis B vaccine provides at least 98 percent protection to infants, children, and adults who are fully immunized before being exposed to the virus, according the World Health Organization.
The HBV vaccine is safe and helps prevent infection with hepatitis B, which reduces your risk of liver disease and liver cancer. Although some people rarely experience serious side effects, it's most likely that you'll have few — if any — side effects.
Hepatitis B Vaccine Target Market Changed Due To New Evidence, Not ProfitFact Check
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