Hep B - Health Freedom Ireland

Disease	Risk of contracting	Risk of death
Hepatitis B	Negligible for under 5s	Negligible for under 5s

What is hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a viral disease which affects the liver. It is transmitted through blood, semen and other bodily fluids, mainly through sexual contact with an infected person or by sharing needles. It can also, on rare occasions, be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy. This will be picked up by the routine screening programme in place in Ireland.

Symptoms of hepatitis B generally appear in 90 days and last a few weeks. About half of infected adults and children over the age of five will have symptoms, while many children under the age of five will not. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, discoloured (clay) bowel movements, joint pain and jaundice (yellowish skin or eyes). For most people, the virus clears up within 6 months and they become immune.

What is the risk of getting hepatitis B in Ireland today?

Given that Hepatitis B is more common in those with multiple sex partners, intravenous drug users sharing needles and sex workers, babies are at an extremely low risk.

What is the risk of death from hepatitis B in Ireland?

There were no deaths from any form of viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D and E) in anyone under the age of 14 in the nineteen years between 1988 and 2006 (before a vaccine).

What vaccine is recommended for hepatitis B (for children) in Ireland?

Infanrix-Hexa (recommended at 2,4,6 and 13 months)

Do vaccines guarantee protection from hepatitis B?

No, you can still get hepatitis B even after vaccination.

Is the hepatitis B vaccine safe?

All vaccines come with risks, some very serious. Below is a summary of potential side effects as listed on the patient information leaflet. You can find full details here.

Risks from each dose of 6 in 1 vaccine Infanrix-Hexa (6-in-1)

4 doses recommended at 2,4,6 and 13 months (as per Infanrix Hexa Patient information leaflet Aug 2024)

Observed side effects post administration of Infanrix (post marketing)
Paralysis, numbness or weakness of the arms and legs (neuropathy) Inflammation of some nerves, possibly with pins and needles or loss of feeling or normal movement (Guillain-Barré syndrome) Swelling or infection of the brain (encephalopathy, encephalitis) Infection around the brain (meningitis) Bleeding or bruising more easily than normal (thrombocytopenia)

Risk Category	Observed Side Effects
Up to 1 in 10,000 (0.01%)	Dermatitis
Up to 1 in 1,000 (0.1%)	Bronchitis Rash Swollen glands in the neck, armpit or groin (lymphadenopathy) Bleeding or bruising more easily than normal (thrombocytopenia) In babies born very prematurely (at or before 28 weeks of gestation) longer gaps than normal between breaths may occur for 2-3 days after vaccination Temporarily stopping breathing (apnoea) Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing (angioedema) Swelling of the whole injected limb Blisters
Up to 1 in 100 (1%)	Upper respiratory tract infection, tiredness, cough, large swelling at the injected limb
Up to 1 in 10 (1% to 10%)	Sleepiness Loss of appetite High temperature of 38°C or higher Swelling, pain, redness where the injection was given Unusual crying Feeling irritable or restless
More than 1 in 10 (10%)	Diarrhoea Vomiting High temperature of more than 39.5°C Swelling or hard lump where the injection was given Feeling nervous

Other special warnings and precautions
Avoid if child is allergic to formaldehyde, neomycin and polymyxin (antibiotics). Contains para-aminobenzoic acid which can cause allergic reactions. Phenylalanine may be harmful if you have phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder in which phenylalanine builds up because the body cannot remove it properly.