Key Facts about Hepatitis B

  • Hepatitis B is a contagious, vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus.
  • The infection can be mild and short-term (acute), or it can become a long-term illness (chronic) that causes serious liver problems.
  • Hepatitis B spreads when an infected person's blood, semen or other body fluid enters a noninfected person's body.
  • Anyone can get hepatitis B, but some people are at higher risk.
  • About one in two people with hepatitis B don't know they are infected.
  • From November 2024-October 2025: There have been two reported cases of acute hepatitis B in Vermont, one of those resulted in hospitalization and no deaths were reported.
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Protect Your Newborn from Hepatitis B

Some people can have hepatitis B without knowing it. If you have the virus, it can be passed to your baby during birth. Babies who get hepatitis B at birth are much more likely to develop long-term infection, which can lead to serious liver problems later in life.

That’s why all pregnant people are tested for hepatitis B as part of routine prenatal care. It’s an important step in protecting your baby’s health.

If you test positive, there are steps to take that are 95% effective at preventing your baby from getting infected. Your baby will need two shots within 12 hours of birth: the vaccine to start building long-term protection and the immune globulin to provide immediate protection. They may need additional shots over the next few months to help prevent infection. 

If you test negative, it's recommended that your baby get the hepatitis B vaccine before leaving the hospital. This protects them from possible exposure as they grow, including through other caregivers, family members, or in early childhood. It’s a simple, safe first step in building lifelong protection. Read more about this recommendation. 

Types of Hepatitis B

The type of hepatitis B depends on how long the virus has been in your body and how it's affecting your liver. A blood test can tell whether your infection is short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic). Getting vaccinated helps prevent both types by protecting you from infection in the first place.

Acute Hepatitis BChronic Hepatitis B
  • Short-term illness
  • Occurs when acute hepatitis B leads to a lifelong infection
  • Occurs within the first six months after exposure
  • Symptoms may be similar to acute hepatitis B, but most people with chronic infection don't have symptoms until much later in life
  • Some people have no symptoms, or a mild illness. For others, it can be serious that requires hospitalization.
  • If left untreated, serious health problems like liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even death
  • There are no medications to treat acute hepatitis. Doctors usually recommend rest, adequate nutrition, and fluids.
  • There are several medications approved to treat chronic hepatitis B. 

Signs and Symptoms

Many people with hepatitis B don't have symptoms. If symptoms develop, they usually appear about three months after exposure. The symptoms of acute infection and chronic infection may be similar, but most people with chronic infection don't have symptoms until much later in life, often decades after exposure.

Symptoms may include:

  • Dark urine or clay-colored stools
  • Feeling tired
  • Fever
  • Joint pain
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea, stomach pain, throwing up
  • Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)

How It Spreads

Hepatitis B spreads when blood, semen, or other body fluids from someone with the virus get into another person’s body. This can happen through:

  • Birth (when a pregnant person passes the virus to their baby)
  • Sexual contact
  • Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment
  • Sharing personal items like razors, toothbrushes, or nail clippers
  • Contact with open cuts or blood
  • Needlestick or sharp injuries

Hepatitis B does not spread from hugging, kissing, sharing food or water, or through breastfeeding (unless there is cracked or bleeding skin).

Prevention and Vaccination

The best way to prevent hepatitis B (both acute and chronic) is by getting vaccinated. You need to get all the shots in the series to be fully protected. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends the vaccine for:

  • All infants
  • All children and adolescents younger than 19 who have not been vaccinated
  • Adults age 19-59
  • Adults ages 60 and older at higher risk for hepatitis B

Why the Hepatitis B Vaccine is Recommended at Birth for All Infants

Protecting your baby starts on day one. Health experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians, recommend that all babies receive the first hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth.

Waiting leaves babies unprotected during the time they are most at risk.
  • Newborns are at highest risk. If a baby gets hepatitis B in the first months of life, there is a 90% chance the infection will become lifelong and lead to serious liver disease.
  • Babies can be exposed even when parents test negative. The virus can be passed through birth, a household contact, or from someone who doesn’t know they’re infected.
  • The first dose acts as a safety net, giving protection right away, before any exposure can happen.
What we know from decades of experience:

Medical understanding grows over time. We continually review the latest research and recommendations from trusted experts. Right now, the strongest scientific evidence supports giving the hepatitis B birth dose within 24 hours to best protect newborns.

  • The hepatitis B vaccine has been recommended for all infants since 1991.
  • It has been studied extensively and used following millions of births across the country.
  • Rates of hepatitis B infection in children have dropped dramatically because of this early protection.
For trustworthy information:

It's ok to have questions about vaccines

Vermont's Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program

The Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program works to identify the hepatitis B status of pregnant people, communicate with those at high risk for transmitting hepatitis B infection to their infants, and ensure access to hepatitis B immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine. Hepatitis B vaccine is available free of charge to hospitals participating in the Vaccines for Children Program from the Vermont Department of Health Immunization Program.

 

Resources for Health Care Professionals

Clinical Overview of Hepatitis B (CDC)
Hepatitis B Resources for Health Care Professionals (CDC)
Topics:
Hepatitis Vaccine-preventable Diseases
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