Buzzing In with Information about Hepatitis B!

 🐝 Hepatitis B is a virus that affects the liver. Anyone can be infected, but when it happens in babies, it is much more likely to become a long-term condition that can damage the liver over time.

 🐝 About 296 million people are currently living with hepatitis B around the world, with thousands of new cases being reported in the U.S. alone each year.  When hepatitis B infects babies or toddlers, it is more likely to become a chronic condition than it is in adults.

🐝If a mother has hepatitis B, her baby can be exposed during childbirth. It can also pass through contact with infected blood or certain body fluids. It is not spread by food, water, coughing, or casual contact like hugging.

 🐝 Most babies do not show symptoms at first, even if they are infected. The virus can stay dormant in their body and slowly damage their liver over time.

 🐝 A blood test is used to screen for hepatitis B. It looks for either the presence of the virus or evidence that the body has responded to it. 

 🐝 Yes. The vaccine teaches the body to recognize the virus, so it knows how to respond if it ever encounters it.

 🐝 It's a series of shots given over several months rather than all at once. Your pediatrician will explain the timing that fits your child.

🐝After all doses, it works in more than 95% of healthy infants.