• Hepatitis B is a serious liver disease caused by a virus.
• You can get infected with hepatitis B if you have contact with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids. This can happen during sex, or just by sharing personal items like a toothbrush or razor. Babies can get infected from their mother during birth.
• If you get infected, you can be sick for weeks or months, be hospitalized, and even die. Some people don’t feel sick but can still spread the virus to others. For some people, the virus remains in their body for years. During this time, the virus can attack the liver and cause serious problems like liver failure or cancer.
• You are more likely to become infected with the virus if you are exposed to blood on your job, have sex with an infected person, travel to certain countries, have diabetes, or use illegal drugs. However, many people are not sure how they got infected.
• Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis B.
| Hepatitis B Vaccine Schedule |
| All children and teens in the U.S. should get 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine. Infants should receive the first dose within 24 hours of birth. Many adults are at risk of hepatitis B and should be vaccinated. Adults should receive 2 or 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine depending on the brand of vaccine. |