This vaccine gives protection against the hepatitis B virus, which is a major cause of serious liver disease, including liver cancer and cirrhosis (scarring of the liver which prevents the liver from working properly).
The individual hepatitis B vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccines such as the PCV, hepatitis A, MMR, pre-school booster and other travel vaccines. The vaccines should be given at a separate site, preferably in a different arm or leg.
The vaccine does not contain any live viruses, and cannot cause hepatitis B disease.
Since the disease is so serious, the World Health Organization has said that all babies in the world should be protected by hepatitis B vaccination. In the UK all babies are now offered the combination 6-in-1 vaccine which contains hepatitis B vaccine as well as vaccines against five other serious diseases.
The individual (monovalent) hepatitis B vaccine continues to be given to those in the UK at high risk of hepatitis B disease. This includes:
The hepatitis B vaccine may also be recommended as a travel vaccine for travel to some parts of the world.
There are several different hepatitis B vaccines used in the UK. For full information about ingredients, ask for the Patient Information Leaflet for the vaccine you are offered. (See the 6-in-1 vaccine page for information about ingredients for this vaccine.)
Apart from the active ingredients (the antigens), hepatitis B vaccines contain very small amounts of this added ingredient:
Hepatitis B vaccines may also contain tiny traces of products used during the manufacturing process:
Growing the active ingredients for the vaccines:
Latex may be used in the packaging of some of the hepatitis B vaccines.
Several different makes of hepatitis B vaccine are used in the UK. For full information about side effects, ask for the Patient Information Leaflet for the vaccine you are offered. Side effects reported for hepatitis B vaccines in general are listed below.
Very common (affecting more than 1 in 10 people at each dose):
Common (affecting up to 1 in 10 people at each dose):
Uncommon (affecting up to 1 in 100 people at each dose):
Rare (affecting up to 1 in 1000 people at each dose):
More serious side effects are very rare (affecting fewer than 1 in 10,000 people at each dose). You should consult your doctor if you or your child experiences suspected serious side effects after vaccination. This is mainly to check that it is the vaccine causing the symptoms, and not some unrelated disease.
As with any vaccine, medicine or food, there is a very small chance of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Anaphylaxis is different from less severe allergic reactions because it causes life-threatening breathing and/or circulation problems. It is always extremely serious but can be treated with adrenaline. Health care workers who give vaccines know how to do this. In the UK between 1997 and 2003 there were a total of 130 reports of anaphylaxis following ALL immunisations. Around 117 million doses of vaccines were given in the UK during this period. This means that the overall rate of anaphylaxis is around 1 in 900,000.
Reactions listed under ‘possible side effects’ or ‘adverse events’ on vaccine product information sheets may not all be directly linked to the vaccine. See Vaccine side effects and adverse reactions for more information on why this is the case.
If you are concerned about any reactions that occur after vaccination, consult your doctor. In the UK you can report suspected vaccine side effects to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) through the Yellow Card Scheme . You can also contact the MHRA to ask for data on Yellow Card reports for individual vaccines
. See more information on the Yellow Card scheme and monitoring of vaccine safety.
The hepatitis B virus is a major cause of serious, life-threatening liver disease, including... Read more