Q: I would like to know your opinion on the hepatitis B vaccine and its pros and cons. I’m a 39-year-old man who is thinking about potentially getting one. – Anon.
A: Hepatitis B is a viral illness that can cause both acute and chronic liver disease. It’s much better to prevent it than treat it. Among adults in North America, the most common ways of getting a new hepatitis B infection are through sexual transmission and injection drug use.
Transmission can also occur through household contact when living with a person with hepatitis B and sharing items that could be potentially contaminated with blood, such as toothbrushes, razors or nail clippers. Any person who might have a new sexual partner or use injection drugs is particularly recommended to get the hepatitis B vaccine, but the vaccine is recommended for all adults under 60 and higher-risk adults over 60. The hepatitis B vaccination is mandatory for health care workers who routinely get exposed to blood.
The main downside of the vaccine is a sore arm. Serious adverse reactions are rare. Many people have been exposed to hepatitis B, so I often give the first dose of the vaccine at the same time that I test the person to see if they’re already immune.
It won’t harm a person who is immune and prevents a person from having to come in multiple times. I prefer the Heplisav-B vaccine in adults, which is two doses (other regimens are three) and provides immunity quickly..
