Hepatitis B

Hep B is a disease that affects the liver. It is one of several hepatitis diseases (for example, hepatitis A and hepatitis C). These are caused by different germs, but are similar in that they all affect the liver ("hepatitis" comes from the Greek words for "liver" and "inflammation")You can protect children from hepatitis B by getting them vaccinated with three doses of hepatitis B vaccine. Newborn babies whose mothers either are infected with the hepatitis B virus or have not been tested should get their first shot within 12 hours of birth, the second shot at 1-2 months of age, and the third shot at 6 months of age. Other babies can get their first shot between birth and 2 months of age, the second at 1-4 months of age, and the third at 6-18 months of age.