Hepatitis B Fact Sheet
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a serious infectious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause lifelong infection that leads to cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer or liver failure. There is no cure for hepatitis B, but the infection can be prevented by vaccination.
Vaccination Recommendation for College Students
A vaccine is available to help protect against hepatitis B. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccination of everyone age 18 and younger, and anyone at high risk for hepatitis B. The American College Health Association (ACHA) recommends that all college students be vaccinated.
Symptoms of the Disease
Symptoms of hepatitis B can resemble the flu and may include
fever, loss of appetite, low energy, joint pain, cramping, or nausea
and vomiting, as well as jaundice (yellow skin or eyes). However, in
about 30 percent of cases, hepatitis B causes no symptoms. Approximately
one million people are chronic carriers of the disease, meaning they
have no symptoms and may not know they are infected but still are able
to transmit the disease to others. There is no cure for hepatitis B.
Most people can manage symptoms of the disease with treatment, although
5 percent to 10 percent of individuals become chronic carriers of the disease.
Incidence
of Hepatitis B
In 2001, an estimated 78,000 Americans were
infected with hepatitis B. The majority of these were adolescents and
young adults. One in 20 people now have been infected with this disease,
and about one-third of those infected do not know the source of their
infection. There are approximately 1.25 million chronically infected
Americans.
Transmission of the Disease
Hepatitis B is contagious
and spreads when the blood or other body fluids of a person with
the virus are absorbed into an individual’s
blood stream through broken skin or mucous membranes. The hepatitis
B virus can live in all body fluids of an infected person, including
blood, saliva, semen and vaginal fluids. If can enter the body through
cuts, tears or abrasions in the skin and through mucous membranes
of the mouth, vagina, anus and eyes. Hepatitis B can be transmitted
through sexual contact; during contact sports; by helping someone
who is injured; by sharing razors, toothbrushes, pierced earrings
or injection drug paraphernalia; or by getting a tattoo or body piercing
using non-sterile instruments or needles.
Risk for College Students
College students may be
at higher risk for hepatitis B. The highest rate of disease occurs
in individuals between the ages of 20 and 49. Living in close quarters,
like a college residence hall, may increase the risk of exposure to
carriers. College students may be exposed to the virus during sexual
contact, during contact sports, getting body piercings or tattoos,
sharing needles or razors and other high-risk behaviors. Health sciences
students may be exposed to body fluids or tissues from patients with
hepatitis B infection. In addition, during college, students may travel
abroad to areas where the disease is common.
About the Hepatitis B Vaccine
The hepatitis B vaccine
is safe and effective. You cannot get the disease from the vaccine.
The most common side effect of the vaccine is soreness at the site
of the injection. Vaccination requires a series of three shots over
a six-month period. After that, a booster shot is not necessary. The
vaccine protects 96 percent of those who complete the three-dose vaccination
series.
For More Information
To learn more about hepatitis
B and the vaccine, please contact Ripon College Health Services at
(920) 748-8141. You also can visit the Web sites of the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/index.htm.
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