Hepatitis B

When to book the hepatitis B vaccine

The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended if you:

• Are travelling to a country where hepatitis B is common, particularly if you might need medical or dental treatment there
• Work in healthcare or any job involving contact with blood or bodily fluids
• Inject drugs or share drug paraphernalia
• Are a man who has sex with men
• Have chronic liver disease or chronic kidney disease
• Are a close contact or sexual partner of someone with hepatitis B
• Frequently change sexual partners
• Are adopting a child from a high-risk country

If you think you have been exposed, seek advice immediately. Post-exposure vaccine and immunoglobulin are most effective within 48 hours.

What is hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a viral liver infection spread through contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person, including unprotected sex, sharing needles, needlestick injuries and mother to baby transmission during childbirth. It is most common in sub-Saharan Africa, East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Many people have no symptoms. Where they occur, they usually appear two to three months after infection and include flu-like symptoms, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, upper right abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine and pale stools, joint pain and itchy skin.

Around 5% of adult infections become chronic, meaning the virus stays in the body beyond six months and can cause cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer. The risk is far higher in the very young, with up to 90% of infected newborns developing chronic infection. There is no cure for chronic hepatitis B, though antivirals can control it, which is why prevention matters.

How the vaccine works

The standard course is three doses: the second one month after the first, and the third five months after that, over roughly six months. An accelerated schedule is available for travellers, with three doses over three weeks and a booster at 12 months.

After a full course the vaccine is over 95% effective. A blood test can confirm immunity where needed, particularly for healthcare workers. Side effects are mild and usually settle within a day or two: soreness or redness at the injection site, headache, tiredness and slight fever. Serious allergic reactions are extremely rare.

Preventing hepatitis B

Avoid medical or dental procedures in facilities with poor infection control, and be cautious with tattoos and piercings abroad. Never share needles, razors or toothbrushes. Use barrier protection with new or multiple partners, and carry a first aid kit when travelling.

All pregnant women in the UK are screened for hepatitis B. If a mother is infected, vaccinating the baby at birth is highly effective at preventing transmission.

Find hepatitis B vaccination near you

No GP referral needed, standard and accelerated schedules, combined hepatitis A/B vaccines, travel and occupational health consultations, and flexible appointments including evenings and weekends. Use the postcode search above to find your nearest Allied Pharmacy.