Why Are Newborns Given Hepatitis B Vaccines?
Published: 2025-12-06 19:07:01 | Category: politics
A U.S. vaccine advisory panel has recently revoked its long-standing recommendation for all infants to receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, a decision that has sparked significant concern among health experts. This change, seen as a victory for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., could potentially reverse decades of progress in public health. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) poses a serious risk, particularly to infants, making the new recommendations a critical issue to understand for parents and healthcare providers.
Last updated: 05 December 2023 (BST)
What is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that targets the liver and is recognised as the leading cause of liver cancer globally. Many individuals infected with HBV are asymptomatic and may not even be aware of their infection. In adults, the virus often resolves without treatment; however, it becomes chronic in over 90% of infants and up to 50% of young children who contract it. This chronic infection can lead to severe liver complications, including failure and the necessity for transplants later in life, as there is currently no cure for hepatitis B.
How Common Are HBV Infections Today?
The incidence of hepatitis B infections in the U.S. has significantly decreased, dropping nearly 90% from around 9.6 cases per 100,000 people to approximately one per 100,000 by 2018, following the widespread adoption of vaccination. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 254 million individuals worldwide were living with chronic hepatitis B in 2022, with 1.2 million new infections reported annually.
How is the Virus Transmitted?
Hepatitis B is primarily transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids. This includes transmission via needlestick injuries, tattooing, and body piercings. Understanding these transmission routes is crucial for prevention, particularly in high-risk settings.
Why is the Vaccine Given to Newborns?
The hepatitis B vaccine was initially recommended for newborns due to the high risk of mother-to-child transmission during childbirth. Before the vaccine's availability, approximately 85% of newborns from mothers with active infections contracted the virus, with around 30% of infants born to mothers with past infections also at risk. Currently, vaccination at birth reduces the risk of infection to just 0.7% to 1.1% for infants born to mothers with known hepatitis B status.
New Recommendation for Hepatitis B Vaccine
The recent decision by the vaccine committee signals a significant shift in policy. The committee has voted to limit the hepatitis B birth dose to infants whose mothers are either positive for the virus or whose status is unknown. This recommendation, if endorsed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will overturn the universal vaccination policy established in 1991. For infants with mothers who test negative for hepatitis B, the new guidance encourages parents, in consultation with healthcare providers, to determine the timing and necessity of commencing the vaccine series. Additionally, the panel supports testing children for hepatitis B antibodies before administering further doses.
Why Treat All Babies, Not Just Those with Infected Mothers?
The rationale behind universal vaccination is to protect infants whose parents' hepatitis B status may be unknown or untested during prenatal care. Furthermore, maternal testing can overlook recent infections, making universal newborn vaccination a more reliable approach. Even in cases where mothers are not infected, newborns can still acquire hepatitis B through close contact with infected individuals, including caregivers.
What's Known About Adverse Reactions?
The hepatitis B vaccine is generally considered safe, with side effects that are mostly mild, such as soreness at the injection site or low-grade fever. Serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, are exceedingly rare according to the WHO, making the vaccine a low-risk option for infants.
Conclusion
The recent revocation of the universal hepatitis B vaccination recommendation for infants raises significant concerns about public health, particularly regarding the potential resurgence of HBV infections in the population. Understanding the implications of this policy change is essential for parents and healthcare providers as they navigate the risks associated with hepatitis B.
