Hepatitis B Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know

One of the Recommended Vaccines by Disease

About the Disease

CDC's official Hepatitis B website
Frequently Asked Questions
Pictures of Hepatitis B
Warning: Some of these photos are quite graphic.
CDC en Español! - Hepatitis
Hepatitis B basics
Fact sheet offers overview of Hepatitis B disease and vaccine risks and benefits
- In English
- En Español

Vaccine Information

The vaccination schedule most often used for adults and children has been three intramuscular injections, the second and third administered 1 and 6 months after the first. Recombivax HB® has been approved as a two dose series for adolescents 11–15 years of age. Twinrix® has also been approved as a four dose accelerated schedule.

Who Needs to be Vaccinated?
Podcast: Don't Leave the Hospital Without It 59 seconds)
Discusses the importance of newborns receiving the hepatitis B vaccine shortly after birth. (Created: 8/1/2008 by MMWR; released: 7/31/2008; running time: 0:59)
Side effects from vaccine
Excerpt from Vaccine Information Statement
Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
State Vaccine Requirements
- Hep B prevention mandates for day care & school
- Hep B prevention mandates for colleges & universities
Travelers information
Vaccine information and recommended doses, etc.
"Every week hundreds of people get hepatitis B. Get Protected! Get Vaccinated!" [2 pages]
Tri-fold brochure on hepatitis B vaccination for adults

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Beliefs & Concerns

There is no confirmed evidence which indicates that hepatitis B vaccine can cause chronic illnesses.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Hepatitis B Vaccine
The Safety of Multiple Vaccines
For example, DTaP-Hib and Hib-HepB (hepatitis B)

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Vaccine Safety

As with all vaccines, there can be minor reactions, including pain and redness at the injection site, headache, fatigue or a vague feeling of discomfort.