Do adults need a hepatitis B vaccine?

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If you are an adult wondering about hepatitis B vaccine, the current answer is probably yes: the CDC recommends hepatitis B vaccination for all adults 19 through 59 - a 2022 change from the old risk-group approach, which missed too many people, since half of new infections happen in people without obvious risk factors. Adults 60 and over get it by risk factors - diabetes, healthcare work, dialysis, partners or household contacts with hepatitis B, travel to higher-prevalence regions, sexual exposure risk - or simply by preference: anyone 60-plus who wants the vaccine can get it. If you were vaccinated as an infant - universal infant vaccination started in 1991 - you are likely already covered.

Why it matters: hepatitis B spreads through blood and body fluids, can silently go chronic, and chronic infection is a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer worldwide. The vaccine is one of the oldest and most studied: two or three doses depending on the brand, given at pharmacies and clinics.

Who checks before vaccinating: anyone who might already be infected or immune - a quick blood test for hepatitis B markers settles it, and people with risk factors or unknown status get tested at the same visit. Pregnant women are screened routinely at the first prenatal visit. A severe allergic reaction to a prior dose is the main contraindication.

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Do adults need a hepatitis B vaccine?

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