CDC Committee Outlines New Recommendations for Hepatitis B Vaccine in 2022
- There is a vaccine for the disease.
- The CDC recommends that people bevaccinated.
- Risk factor screening is not always necessary.
The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices reviewed its recommendations on vaccines for infectious diseases at a meeting in November of 2021.
The committee discussed the issues of vaccinations for the diseases of the Americas, including the ones of COVID-19.
The committee revised the guidelines for the vaccine to protect more adults against the effects of the disease.
The CDC estimates about 862,000 people in the United States have chronic hepatitis B virus, or HBV, infection.
“Most cases of the disease don’t have symptoms. If left unattended, the infection can lead to serious conditions such as cirrhosis and cancer.”
The CDC has a goal to reduce the number of infections by 90% and deaths by 65% by the year 2030.
The Department of Health and Human Services wants to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat in the United States by the year 2030.
To help meet these goals, the CDC has outlined new hepatitis B vaccination recommendations for 2022. Vaccines can help prevent the disease and have reduced the number of reported hepatitis B cases by
Adults 19 to 59 years old are now recommended for a vaccine against the disease. This helps decrease cases.
The vaccine is recommended for people with risk factors for the disease.
It is recommended that adults 60 years or older get a vaccine. The new guidance tells providers to give vaccinations to this group. Previously, clinicians were told to only give the vaccine to a patient.
The CDC still recommends that all infants and unvaccinated children under the age of 19 years be given the vaccine for hepatitis B.
“If you have a history of the disease or have completed a vaccine, you shouldn’t get another one. There is no evidence that getting more vaccine doses is harmful.”
Pre-vaccine testing can show immunity to the disease from a previous infection or from the vaccine.
Is there a new vaccine for hepatitis B?
PreHevbrio is the FDA approved vaccine for the prevention of hepatitis B. It was released in November of 2021. PreHevbrio is approved for use in adults over the age of 18.
What is the recommended vaccine schedule for hepatitis B?
The vaccine schedule for PreHevbrio includes three doses over the course of 6 months. The first dose is at 0 months, the second at 1 month, and the third and final at 6 months.
Adults 18 years of age and older can use Heplisav-B. It requires two doses in a month.
Both Recombivax HB and Engerix-B are approved for both children and adults. The schedule of 6 months is what administration follows, with 2 to 3 doses depending on age.
The vaccines are usually given at 0,, and 6 months after the vaccine is given.
Who should not receive a hepatitis B vaccine?
It is important to have a vaccine against the disease, but it may not be safe for some people.
This includes anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to a dose of a vaccine in the past, a component of a vaccine.
Do you need three shots of a hepatitis B vaccine?
Three doses are required to complete a series of vaccinations. Those who are receiving Heplisav-B only need two doses to complete the series.
Some people may only need two doses.
The number of reported cases of the disease has been reduced by 40% over the past 40 years. It has been proven to prevent the spread of the disease, which can cause serious problems on the body.
The new guidelines from the CDC help make vaccines more effective in preventing the disease and reducing the number of infections and deaths.
“If you’re eligible for the vaccine, you should talk to your doctor about whether it’s right for you.”