Hepatitis B vaccine

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The Hepatitis B vaccine is a 3 shot series which is designed to provide immunity to the Hepatitis B virus. The disease is blood-borne and sexually transmitted. The Hep B vaccination is one of a series of vaccinations required for school entry in many states [1] Although hepatitis B is not airborne, it can be transmissible from child to child or in a household setting through exposure to blood and other bodily fluids and can also be transmitted mother-to-infant via breastfeeding. Prior to mandatory vaccination campaigns, approximately 30,000 infants and children per year were infected with Hepatitis B.[1] The number of infections in children has significantly decreased since the introduction of mandatory vaccination programs.

[edit] Side effects

Side effects of the vaccine are generally mild, usually involving pain at the injection site and fever, as is the case with all injectable vaccines. Worldwide, over 500 million people have been vaccinated since the introduction of the vaccine. There have been some unverified hypotheses that there may be a causal link between Hep B vaccine and onset of Multiple Sclerosis[2], but studies to date have been inconclusive.[3] There are currently several longitudinal studies being performed on patients who have been vaccinated to determine if such a link may exist, and if the risk of MS onset outweighs the benefit of the prevention of Hep B exposure in tens of thousands of individuals.

[edit] Footnotes

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