How effective is vaccination for hepatitis B?

The hepatitis B vaccine contains a protein (antigen) that stimulates the body to make protective antibodies. Examples of hepatitis B vaccines available in the United States include hepatitis b vaccine-injection (Engerix-B, Recombivax-HB). Three doses (given at 0, 1, and 6 months) are necessary to assure protection. There are also combination vaccines on the market that provide protection against hepatitis B and other diseases.
Examples include:

• Hepatitis-b-hepatitis-a vaccine - injection (Twinrix), which provides protection against both hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
  
• Haemophilus B/hepatitis B vaccine - injection (Comvax) provides protection against hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b (a cause of meningitis).
  
• Pediarix provides protection against hepatitis B, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and polio.

Hepatitis B vaccines are effective and safe. Up to 95% of vaccinated individuals form effective antibodies when they get the vaccine and are protected from hepatitis B. In healthcare workers, high-risk public safety workers, dialysis patients, and sexual partners of infected persons, a blood test for antibodies is recommended after vaccination to ensure that the person produced antibodies. For the few who do not form antibodies, revaccination may improve response, especially in infants. However, a small proportion of individuals will never respond to hepatitis B vaccination. Side effects from the vaccine are usually mild and include soreness at the site of injection. The risk of serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) is less than one per million doses. Vaccination has reduced the number of new cases of hepatitis B by more than 75% in the United States.
In the United States, hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all infants at birth. Older children and adolescents should receive the vaccine if they did not do so at birth.
Adults in high risk situations also are advised to receive hepatitis B vaccine. This includes:

• health care workers
  
• dentists
  
• intimate and household contacts of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection
  
• public safety workers who may be exposed to blood
  
• men who have sex with men
  
• individuals with multiple sexual partners
  
• dialysis patients
  
• injection drug users
  
• persons with chronic liver disease
  
• residents and staff in institutions that care for persons with developmental disabilities
  
• persons infected with HIV
  
• persons who require repeated transfusions or blood products.