Hepatitis B (Recombinant) Vaccine

Hepatitis B (recombinant) vaccine may prevent infection of the liver by the hepatitis B virus.

Infection with the hepatitis B virus can cause the following: inflammation of the liver that may go away within 6 months or a long-lasting infection that may cause liver disease and cancer of the liver.

Hepatitis B recombinant) vaccine does not contain live virus. It works by triggering the body to produce antibodies to the virus to provide a defense against potential infection.

Hepatitis B (recombinant) vaccine comes as a suspension to be given intramuscularly (into a muscle) by a healthcare provider.

Hepatitis B (recombinant) vaccine is given as 3 doses given on a schedule as recommended by your healthcare provider. Alternate schedules and booster doses may be appropriate in certain situations.

Tell your vaccine provider if you:

• have had an allergic reaction to this vaccine, any part of this vaccine, any other vaccine or any drug, food or substance. Tell your vaccine provider about the allergy and what symptoms you had.
• are ill with a fever, are immunocompromised due to a medical condition or are taking an immunosuppressant medication. Also tell your vaccine provider if your infant was born prematurely.
• tell your vaccine provider if you are pregnant or breast feeding.

In some cases, your health care provider may decide to postpone vaccination to a future visit.

Side effects that have been reported with Hepatitis B (recombinant) Vaccine include:

• pain, tenderness at this site of injection
• headache
• tiredness
• muscle aches
• irritability, diarrhea, decreased appetite (in infants and children)

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

• rash, hives, difficulty breathing or swallowing

People sometimes faint after medical procedures, including vaccination. Tell your provider if you feel dizzy or have vision changes or ringing in the ears.

Adverse reactions should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Your health care provider will usually file this report, or you can do it yourself. Visit https://vaers.hhs.gov or call 1-800-822-7967. VAERS is only for reporting reactions, and VAERS staff members do not give medical advice.

• Read the Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS) that your vaccine provider will give you or you can obtain it at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/current-vis/index.html
• Ask your healthcare provider.
• Call your local or state health department.

• Engerix-B^®
• Prehevbrio^®¶
• Recombivax HB^®