Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. It can be spread when the blood or body fluids of an infected person come into contact with broken skin of another person. Children can acquire the infection from their mother during pregnancy or birth. It can also spread from other infected close contacts if there are open sores or wounds or shared personal care items, such as razors or toothbrushes. Some infected people may not be aware of their infection as it can be dormant for many years. If a child catches hepatitis B, they usually will not have any symptoms for many years. Occasionally they may have abdominal pain, especially in the right side where the liver is. It can also cause nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite, fever, muscle or joint pain, fatigue, dark urine, and yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. Once infected, some people can clear the virus themselves, but if they're infected with hepatitis B during infancy or early childhood, most children will go on to have chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis B infection can be managed but not cured with medication. And over time, this infection can lead to liver failure or liver cancer in around 20% of people who acquired the infection in childhood. Vaccination is the best way to protect your child from the disease. Under the National Immunisation Program, babies should receive the free vaccines within the first seven days after birth and aged two months, four months, and six months for the best possible protection. The vaccine provides immunity to hepatitis B to help prevent your child from getting the disease. It contains an inactive and safe form of hepatitis B and trains your child's immune system to recognise and protect against the infection. Receiving all the childhood doses of the vaccine is around 97% effective in protecting against hepatitis B. Your child may experience mild side effects from the vaccine, which usually disappear within a few days. Common side effects include redness, swelling, and soreness at the injection site, and a mild fever and tiredness. Vaccination has significantly reduced the number of people becoming infected with hepatitis B in Australia.
In this video, Dr Emma Goeman shares how you can protect your child from hepatitis B with free vaccines available under the National Immunisation Program.