Hepatitis B virus is the most important cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. About 700,000 people die each year due to hepatitis B-related diseases. Since this can be prevented by vaccination in early childhood, WHO recommended that hepatitis B vaccine be included in national programs in 1992.
Hepatitis B vaccine is produced by recombinant technology and preserved with thiomersal, although some are not.
Table of contents
- 1 How is hepatitis B vaccine administered?
- 2 How is hepatitis B vaccine administered in high-risk pregnancies?
- 3 What are the risk groups for hepatitis B vaccine?
- 4 What are the possible side effects after hepatitis B vaccine?
- 5 Who should not be vaccinated against hepatitis B vaccine?
- 6 How is the hepatitis B vaccine stored?
How is hepatitis B vaccine administered?
Injections into the anterolateral part of the thigh in children younger than 2 years old and into the deltoid muscle (intramuscular) in children 2 years and older. It should not be applied to the gluteal muscle or subcutaneously as it will cause a lower immune response. Exceptionally, the vaccine may be administered subcutaneously to patients with thrombocytopenia or bleeding disorders. Vaccination of adolescents and risk groups as well as infants is important in terms of combating the disease.
Hepatitis B vaccine is administered within the first 24 hours at birth, at the end of the 1st month and at the end of the 6th month. It can be applied to children, adolescents and adults, especially risk groups.
Hepatitis B vaccine is produced as single or double (Hepatitis A-Hepatitis B), five mixed (DTaP-IPA-Hep B), six-fold mixed (DTaP-IPA-Hıb-HepB). The single form is used at birth.
Its protection is 95.0%.
How is hepatitis B vaccine administered in high-risk pregnancies?
In babies born under 2000 g, if the mother is HBsAg (+), hepatitis B vaccine should be administered immediately at birth (within 12 hours following birth) and preferably HBIG simultaneously.
In cases where HBIG cannot be administered concomitantly, it should be administered as soon as possible, no later than 7 days after vaccination.
HBIG is applied to a different anatomical site from the anatomical site where the vaccine is administered.
In cases where the hepatitis B status of the mother is not known, hepatitis B vaccination of the baby should be done immediately (within the first 12 hours following the birth), the serology of the mother should be checked for HBIG, and HBIG should be administered within 7 days following the vaccination, if necessary.
For those with a birth weight of less than 2000 grams, the hepatitis B vaccine should not be included in the routine hepatitis B vaccine administration schedule and the 2nd dose should be administered at the end of the 1st month, the 3rd dose at the end of the 2nd month, and the 4th dose at the end of the 7th month. Anti-HBs and HBsAg tests should be performed at the earliest four weeks after the last dose of vaccine, preferably at the 9th month.
If the mother is known to be hepatitis B negative, the first hepatitis B vaccine dose is administered at 1 month of age or when discharged from the hospital in infants born weighing less than 2000 grams, and the vaccination schedule is completed at 0, 1 and 6 months.
What are the risk groups for hepatitis B vaccine?
- Hemodialysis patients (applied twice the age-appropriate dose),
- Solid organ and bone marrow transplant candidates and recipients,
- People who have to use blood and blood products frequently,
- Substance addicts,
- Unvaccinated family contacts of Hep-B carriers (It is recommended to be screened before vaccinating this group).
- Persons who have multiple sexual partners and have sexual intercourse for money,
- Gay/bisexual men,
- People with chronic liver disease other than Hep-B,
- Convicts and workers in prisons and correctional facilities (screening is recommended before vaccination for this group),
- Barbers-hairdressers, manicurists-pedicurists,
- Piercing, people who plan to have a permanent tattoo,
- Persons in care homes for the mentally handicapped,
- Persons in orphanages,
- Security personnel (with high risk of contact with blood and patient interests among soldiers, police, etc.)
- Persons who apply first aid in accidents and disasters,
Apart from these risk groups, vaccination should be applied in health institutions to people who are deemed appropriate to be vaccinated because of the high risk.
What are the possible side effects after hepatitis B vaccine?
Redness, pain, fever, weakness may occur at the injection site. Rarely, it carries the risk of lymphadenopathy and anaphylaxis.
Who should not be vaccinated against hepatitis B vaccine?
It is not applied to those who have developed a severe allergic reaction at previous doses. It is not applied until the picture heals in diseases progressing with high fever. It can be applied under control in pregnant women in the presence of definite risk.
How is the hepatitis B vaccine stored?
It should be stored at 2-8°C. It is not suitable for freezing. Do not expose to direct sunlight.