National Immunization Awareness Month – Protecting Infants Against Hepatitis B

During National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), the Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy (OHAIDP) is highlighting opportunities to improve viral hepatitis prevention efforts through the expanded use of vaccines that protect against hepatitis B. The third week of NIAM focuses on vaccines for babies and young children.

As highlighted in last week’s blog post, approximately 1,000 babies are born with hepatitis B each year in the United States,  despite the fact that effective vaccines are available that protect infants.  Most infants infected at birth develop a chronic infection and one in four will die prematurely due to liver disease and liver cancer.

Both Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommend that all infants receive their first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at the time of birth, and that the vaccine series be completed by 6 to 18 months of age. This universal hepatitis B birth dose recommendation provides a ‘safety net’ that prevents perinatal and early childhood transmission, facilitates the implementation of hepatitis B vaccination as a routine health care practice, and prevents infections in adolescents and adults. The 2014 National Immunization Survey reported that 72% of infants received the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 3 days of birth. These data underscore the need to refocus efforts on the universal birth dose vaccination to ensure that all babies are protected against hepatitis B infection at the start of their lives. While 92% of children completed the 3 dose series by 35 months of age, this still leaves many infants and young children unvaccinated and at risk for life-long hepatitis B infection, liver disease and liver cancer.

Infants born to mothers who are chronically infected with hepatitis B are recommended  by ACIP to receive both hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin within 12 hours of birth. Together, these two medicines are known as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and are 85%-95% effective in preventing hepatitis B infection in infants born to mothers who are chronically infected. In 1990, the (CDC) National Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program (PHBPP) was established to identify pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B infection and provide case management for their infants. The program works to ensure that infants at highest risk for hepatitis B receive PEP, complete all three doses of the hepatitis B vaccine series, and receive post-vaccination testing.

The elimination of perinatal hepatitis B transmission is one of the four overarching goals of the Viral Hepatitis Action Plan.  Important steps toward achieving this goal is increasing the rate of birth dose hepatitis B vaccination for all infants, and ensuring that all pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B are referred to the PHBPP to prevent perinatal transmission and protect the health of their infants.

To learn more about NIAM, vaccinating infants to prevent hepatitis B, or to find vaccines near you:

• Download the free NIAM toolkit
• Learn about the Immunization Action Coalition’s Give Birth to the End of Hep B campaign
• Visit the HealthMap Vaccine Finder, a free online tool you can use to find vaccines at your local pharmacies and clinics nearby.

During National Immunization Awareness Month in August, help spread the word about hepatitis B vaccinations, get vaccinated for hepatitis B if you haven’t before, and encourage others to get vaccinated to protect against hepatitis B infection and liver cancer.