Amid discussion of vaccine schedule changes at the national level, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is reaffirming its position that all newborns should receive a dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of delivery. Additionally, all children should complete the full vaccination series within 18 months.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. Chronic infection over the course of a lifetime can lead to liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death. Babies can contract hepatitis B from their mothers during childbirth, even if the mother doesn't know she's infected. Infants who contract hepatitis B during the first year of life have a 90 percent chance of developing lifelong chronic hepatitis B infection. Sadly, 25 percent of newborns/infants who develop chronic hepatitis B will die from the disease, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
During delivery, the baby comes in contact with the mother’s blood and bodily fluids, and infection can enter through their eyes, mouth, nose, umbilical cord, or small cuts. Children can be exposed through household contact with infected family members who may not know they carry the virus. Young children in daycare settings can also potentially spread infections through bites or scratches.
Hepatitis B affects over 250 million people worldwide. Universal infant vaccination has dramatically reduced infection rates in countries that have implemented it. The vaccine is safe, with mild and temporary side effects like soreness at the injection site being the most common reaction.
"The hepatitis B vaccine is a crucial safety net for newborns from an incurable, life-threatening disease," said Connecticut Department of Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, M.D. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and AAP have recommended the series of shots for 35 years, and over that time, infections have plummeted. We have decades of real-world evidence to show us that this vaccine protects our children from unanticipated exposures to an easily transmitted, potentially deadly virus."
The birth dose, combined with the full vaccine series, is 98 percent effective at preventing infection. This strategy provides immediate protection during the infant’s most vulnerable period. The vaccine series provides long-lasting immunity, protecting children throughout their lives. Since the CDC introduced routine childhood hepatitis B vaccination in 1991, infection rates have stayed low in children and are now declining among adults in their 30s as vaccinated children age.
These recommendations align with the AAP’s Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule and reflect a consensus statement from the Northeast Public Health Collaborative. We hope the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will join us in these recommendations.
We encourage residents to speak with qualified health care professionals and clinicians and rely on trusted medical sources when making decisions about their health or the health of their children.
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