Everything about Hepatitis B Vaccine: Purpose, Dosage & Side Effects

A severe liver infection, hepatitis B, is caused by the hepatitis B virus. It is contagious and can spread through an infected person's blood, semen, or other body fluids. The hepatitis B vaccine helps prevent such an infection by producing antibodies against the hepatitis B virus. Moreover, it helps you develop a hepatitis infection if you belong to the high-risk group.

Curious to learn more about the hepatitis B vaccine and its benefits? Read till the end of this article to find out all about it!

What Is Hepatitis B Vaccine?

Hepatitis B vaccine is a safe and suitable vaccine recommended for children and infants to avoid the hepatitis virus and its consequent infection. Once this virus attacks you, you can develop a severe liver infection which becomes chronic. The effects of hepatitis B on the body can show in the following symptoms.

Abdominal pain
Fever
Dark urine
Loss of appetite
Weakness and fatigue
Joint pain
Nausea and vomiting

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends hepatitis B vaccine for children and infants to be taken preferably within 24 hours of their birth. Furthermore, adults can also take it, mainly if they have diabetes or are at a higher risk of developing hepatitis infection because of their location or job. The following three types of vaccines are commonly used for preventing hepatitis B.

Engerix-B
Recombivax HB
Heplisav-B

Now that you know the purpose of the hepatitis B vaccine, you should know that this vaccine cannot benefit you if you have already suffered from a hepatitis B infection and are recovering from it. Instead, it would help if you got a shot as a precaution to avoid developing this infection in future. When it comes to the price of a hepatitis B vaccine, it can range between ₹45 and ₹250, depending on the dosage.

Who Should Take Hepatitis B Vaccine?

h b vaccine take — (source: healthychildren)

If you are wondering about the uses of the hepatitis B vaccine, all infants and children up to the age of 18 are able to reap its benefits. However, CDC also suggests high-risk groups take this vaccine.

1. Children and teenagers

Doctors mainly suggest infants and children for taking this vaccine. Until you reach the age of 18 years, you can take this vaccine. Moreover, it is ideal for giving this vaccine to your newborn baby.

2. Involved in sexual activities

If you are intimate with hepatitis B positive people, you might be at a higher risk of developing the infection in future. Moreover, homosexual men can also get this infection. Thus, they should consider a vaccine to avoid this virus.

3. Drug users

People using illegal injection drugs are prone to developing hepatitis B infection. Thus, they should consider getting this vaccine.

4. Healthcare workers

People working in healthcare settings should get a vaccine. They are exposed to the risks of developing this infection since they are handling hepatitis B positive patients.

5. People with severe illness

People dealing with other serious conditions can have a weaker immune system, ending up developing hepatitis B infection. It includes end-stage renal disease facing dialysis, cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, hepatitis C infection, HIV infection, diabetes, etc.

You must be curious about the suitable dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. Healthcare practitioners usually suggest three doses to complete the hepatitis B vaccine series. The schedule can be as follows.

First shot: Anytime, but infants should receive in the delivery room
Second shot: At least 28 days after the first shot
Third shot: At least 16 weeks after the second shot

It is the standard hepatitis B vaccine dose for adults. Apart from this, there is also an accelerated two-dose series preferable for adolescents aged 11-15 years. You can take a simple blood test to check your antibody titers. It will confirm if the vaccine successfully produced antibodies in your system.

When Should You Avoid Taking the Hepatitis B Vaccine?

Usually, the hepatitis B vaccine is safe and free of many complications. However, you should avoid taking this vaccine if the following conditions apply to you.

If you face severe allergic reactions from a previous hepatitis medicine or shot
In case you have a history of hypersensitivity to yeast or any other similar medicine components
If you are undergoing treatment against a severe illness

What Are the Side Effects of a Hepatitis B Vaccine?

The effects of hepatitis B can be different on an individual level. While this vaccine is usually safe for most recipients, you might face mild after-effects from the hepatitis B vaccine. These are as follows.

Redness or swelling in the injection site
Headache
Fatigue and dizziness
Irritability or agitation
Sore throat
Runny nose
Purple lump in the injection site
Fever and nausea

Apart from these mild issues, you can also face the following long term side effects of a hepatitis B vaccine, which are more severe.

Muscle and back pain
Blurred vision
Constipation
Mental health issues and confusion
Diarrhoea or constipation
Difficulty breathing or swallowing
Light-headedness and fainting tendencies
Loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss
Skin rash
Stomach cramps

Thus, as you can see, the hepatitis B vaccine is the easiest way of avoiding hepatitis infection. Doctors highly recommend babies instantly receive a vaccine shot immediately after their delivery. Moreover, adults can also take this vaccine if they are exposed to the risks of this infection. There can be several side effects, but these are usually mild and can hardly be a problem.