Hepatitis B Vaccine: What You Need to Know

The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause short-term (acute) illness that may lead to:

• Loss of appetite

• Tiredness

• Diarrhea and vomiting

• Jaundice (yellow skin or eyes)

• Pain in muscles, joints, and stomach

It can also cause long-term (chronic) illness that may lead to:

• Liver damage (cirrhosis)

• Liver cancer

• Death

About 1.25 million people in the U.S. have chronic HBV infection.

Hepatitis B vaccine can prevent hepatitis B. It is the first anti-cancer vaccine because it can prevent a form of liver cancer.

How is hepatitis B virus spread?

Hepatitis B virus is spread through contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected person.  A person can get infected in several ways, such as:

• By having unprotected sex with an infected person

• By sharing needles when injecting intravenous drugs

• By being stuck with a used needle on the job

• During birth when the virus passes from an infected mother to her baby