Hepatitis B Vaccine, Disease
Information
Hepatitis B Vaccine Fact Sheet
(PDF 50 KB) Español (PDF 211 KB)
Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).
Hepatitis B infection occurs when a person comes into contact with blood or
other bodily fluids infected with the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B can
occur in an acute stage or as a chronic disease. Most adults with acute
hepatitis B infections have a complete recovery and are also immune to the
disease for life.
People who develop chronic disease become carriers. They can infect others,
and many years later can suffer from serious liver disease like chronic
active hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Often people
with chronic disease have no symptoms and do not know they are infected.
Ten percent of adults with acute infections develop chronic disease. As many
as 90% of infants who are infected by their mothers at birth develop
chronic disease, and 30% to 50% of children who become infected between the
ages of 1 and 5 years become chronically infected.
Early symptoms of hepatitis B infection include mild fever, tiredness, sore
muscles, headache, upset stomach/stomach pain, dark urine, and a
clay-colored bowel movement. The most noticeable sign, although it does not
always occur, is jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and/or whites of eyes.
The severity and duration of symptoms can vary.
Hepatitis B: Vaccine |
Disease | Safety |
Questions & Answers
Please Note: All information is general
in nature and should
not substitute seeking proper medical
attention.
Citation: This information has been
compiled from resources provided by the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC). For more information on the CDC, visit their
website at:
www.cdc.gov/.
Immunization Program
Boulder County Public Health
3450 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304, (303) 413-7500
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