Hepatitis B (HBV)

The Diphtheria - Tetanus- Acellular Pertussis - Hepatitis B- Polio- Haemophilus Influenza Type b (DTaP-HB-IPV-Hib) vaccine is given as a series of 3 doses to infants at 2 months, 4 months and 6 months of age.

It’s provided free to infants as part of their routine immunizations.

The vaccine is also recommended for and provided free to children and adults at high risk of hepatitis B infection, including:

• children 19 years of age or younger;
• all Community Nursing staff;
• all Yukon Communicable Disease Control staff;
• household contacts of acute Hepatitis B cases or Hepatitis B chronic carriers;
• sexual contacts of acute Hepatitis B cases or Hepatitis B chronic carriers;
• people using injectable drugs and their sexual partners;
• people sharing drugs through snorting, smoking or injecting equipment;
• males who have sex with other males;
• people who are HIV positive;
• people with multiple sexual partners or recent history of a sexually transmitted infection (STI);
• people with a medical history of hepatitis C infection who do not have past or current evidence of hepatitis B infection;
• people with chronic liver disease, hepatitis C, or a liver transplant;
• people with chronic kidney disease including predialysis, hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis patients;
• people who have received a kidney or stem cell transplant;
• people who have hemophilia or receive repeated infusions of blood or blood products;
• previously unimmunized residents and staff of developmentally challenged known hepatitis B carriers whose behavior or medical condition increases risk to others
• previously unimmunized children and staff in childcare settings in which there is a child infected with hepatitis B (upon order of Chief Medical Officer of Health);

The vaccine is recommended for, but not provided free to:

• all healthcare workers;
• all employees who have been directed to receive this by their employer ; and
• people visiting countries with high hepatitis B rates and/or having sexual contact with residents in those areas, regardless of length of stay.

• Hepatitis B is a virus that attacks the liver.
• Many people who get hepatitis B show no symptoms and may not know they have the virus.
• The hepatitis B virus can cause a short-term or long-term infection that can lead to life-threatening health problems including permanent liver damage or liver cancer.
• The virus is spread through contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person. This could include a cut, needle stick, or tattoo, sharing toothbrushes or having unprotected sex.
• It’s not spread by sneezing, coughing, hugging or sharing dishes.
• The virus can also be spread during childbirth. If the mother is infected with the hepatitis B virus it can be passed to their infant during delivery.
• Symptoms can take 2 to 6 months and include fever, abdominal pain, jaundice (yellow skin/eyes), vomiting and diarrhea.
• Hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer.

• This vaccine is safe and very effective.
• Vaccination is the best way to protect against hepatitis B and its complications.
• The hepatitis B vaccine is combined with other vaccines to protect you or your child against other infections with fewer shots.
• When you or your child get vaccinated, you help protect the spread to others too.
• This vaccination is free in the Yukon to the groups listed above.

• Most children and adults have no reactions to immunization. For those that do, the most common reaction is swelling and redness with or without tenderness around the injection site. A few people may develop fever, headaches or muscle pain. These reactions are mild, and generally last one or two days. If this is the case with you or your child, you may choose to give a fever medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
• Some infants may experience drowsiness, irritability or loss of appetite following immunization.
• Side effects of the immunization are easily relieved by applying a cold and damp compress to the site and administering acetaminophen or ibuprofen for temperatures 38.5°C or higher. See your health care provider if your symptoms are severe or last longer than 48 hours.
• It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any immunization because there is a rare possibility of developing a severe allergic reaction which is treatable at the clinic. This happens to fewer than 1 in 1 million people. If it happens after you leave the clinic, call 911 or the local emergency number. If you or your child experiences any serious or unexpected reactions, contact your physician and report all severe reactions to one of the nurses at your local Health Centre.