Hepatitis B Vaccination

Symptoms of hepatitis B

Many people who contract hepatitis B do not even realise they have it – but they can still pass this infection on to others, particularly those with whom they have an intimate relationship, via saliva and other bodily fluids. It is also contracted through needlestick injuries or via poorly sanitised equipment used in medical or cosmetic procedures. If you think you have hepatitis B, see a doctor.

Hepatitis symptoms include a gastro-intestinal upset accompanied by a mild fever. There may be vomiting and diarrhoea and abdominal pain, too. Jaundice, a yellow discolouration of the skin and the eyes, is another symptom. An acute hepatitis B infection will run its course after a couple of months. However, it can turn into a chronic infection, lasting longer than six months, and up to a quarter of chronically infected people suffer from progressive liver disease, which may result in cirrhosis and liver cancer. Treatment may be in the form of interferon or antivirals.

People with hep B should be vigilant for the signs of liver failure, which include:

• sudden vomiting
• nosebleeds or bleeding gums or a tendency to bruise easily
• drowsiness, irritability and memory problems

If you have or think you have hep B and experience these, seek medical advice.

Countries where there is a higher risk of hepatitis B

Although hepatitis B is prevalent worldwide, there is a particular risk in Africa, China, India, South and Central America and Southeast Asia.

Travellers at risk from hepatitis B

The following will increase your risk of contracting hepatitis B:

• intravenous drug use
• sharing personal equipment such as razors and toothbrushes
• unprotected sex, particularly with multiple partners
• cosmetic procedures involving needles, including tattooing and piercing
• healthcare procedures such as acupuncture
• surgical procedures, injections and blood transfusions
• employment with a risk of needlestick injury, such as in healthcare or dentistry or in a lab that handles body fluids

Discuss your travel plans fully, frankly and in confidence with your Global Travel Clinics adviser, and this will help them to conduct an effective hepatitis B risk assessment so that they can give you the best possible guidance.

How to avoid exposure to hepatitis B

Your hepatitis B vaccination should protect you from contracting this illness – but you should also, if possible, avoid the activities mentioned above. The risk of contracting hep B in other ways is low.

It is not possible to predict or avoid injuries that will require medical care, and if you are travelling somewhere that has a poor infrastructure consider carrying a sterile medical set, including needles and injecting equipment. You can easily pick up such kits from chemists.

If you need help deciding whether to get vaccinated against hepatitis B, contact one of our Global Travel Clinics.