Vaccination
In Australia the hepatitis B vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program for babies within seven days of being born, and children aged two months, four months and six months.1
- Eligible people under 20 years of age and refugees of any age can also get a free catch up vaccination.2
- Hepatitis B vaccination is also recommended for the following groups:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- people who have a compromised immune system, including those with HIV
- people with medical risk factors such as hepatitis c or chronic liver disease
- people whose occupation increases the risk of acquiring hepatitis B
- people who travel to hepatitis-endemic areas who may be at increased risk.
- People who may be at higher risk of acquiring hepatitis B, for example:
- people who inject drugs
- men who have sex with men
- people in correctional facilities
- sex industry workers
- migrants from hepatitis B-endemic countries.
Further Reading
Vaccination Guidelines
You can see the full list at the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
Vaccination for high risk groups
Some states offer free vaccination for high-risk groups. Your state and territory immunisation schedule will have more information.
Getting a hepatitis B vaccination
If you work in a job where the risk of exposure is high (e.g. health care or the prison system), you may be able to access free vaccination through your employer.
The vaccination is given via three injections over six months. The hepatitis B vaccine provides lifelong protection from the virus for most people who receive it. If you’re not sure if you’ve been vaccinated, you can ask your GP for a test to see if you have immunity to hepatitis B.
Preventing blood-to-blood transmission
Anyone can get hepatitis B, so it’s important to be blood aware. That means assuming that anyone’s blood may contain a virus and taking steps to avoid blood-to-blood contact.
Preventing hepatitis B transmission when injecting drugs
To reduce the risk of hepatitis B transmission when injecting drugs it’s important that you do not share or re-use needles, tourniquets, spoons, swabs, water or any other equipment, even when no blood is visible.
Other steps you should take include:
- Labelling or marking your syringe
- Thoroughly wash your hands in warm soapy water before and immediately after injecting (if this is impossible, use single wipes with new swabs instead).
- Do not recap someone else’s needles when using in groups or injecting others.
- Manage sharps in a safe manner by disposing of all equipment in an approved disposal container (available from your needle and syringe program).
Preventing hepatitis B transmission when getting body art or piercings
If you’re considering a piercing or a tattoo make sure your tattoo artist or body-piercer uses infection control precautions. You have the right to ask the practitioner about their infection control procedures. It’s particularly important to check these things if you’re getting a tattoo or piercing overseas.
Some tattoo shops may ask clients to disclose their hepatitis B status. This practice is unlawful. If you live with hepatitis B you should not feel obliged to disclose your status if you don’t want to. It’s the responsibility of the practitioner to practice infection control precautions for every customer.
Tips for choosing a body art studio
- Look for a Certificate of Registration from the local Council
- Check that benches, sinks and other work areas are clean
- Ask questions:
- What type of needles used?
- If they reuse needles, how they are sterilised?
- Are new disposable gloves used with each client?
- Does equipment come from sterile containers or bags?
- Is pre-packed sterile equipment opened in front of clients
- Are small separate containers of ink used for each client or do they use one large container for all clients?
Preventing hepatitis B transmission at beauty salons
If you visit a beauty salon make sure they follow infection control practices. If you are unsure what these are, you can ask. You should also:
- Look for a Certificate of Registration from the local Council
- Check that benches, sinks and other work areas are clean
- Avoid visiting the salon if you have cuts, bug bites or a skin infection.
Preventing hepatitis B transmission in a medical or dental setting
The risk of getting hepatitis B in a medical or dental setting in Australia is low.
In all medical settings, standard precautions must be applied to all potentially infectious material. These are precautions that have been developed to make sure that both patients and health care workers are protected from infection as much as possible.
All bodily fluids are treated as infectious so there is no need for anyone to disclose their hepatitis B status.
All medical equipment should be single-use or sterilised before use with each patient. Gloves and other protective gear should be used to prevent transmission of any blood borne viruses or diseases. Many exposed surfaces may also have protective coverings on them, which are replaced for each patient.
If you’re concerned about blood borne virus transmission in a health care setting ask the medical staff about their infection control procedures.
Preventing hepatitis B transmission through blood spills
Workplace
All workplaces in Australia are legally required to apply infection control procedures, where any blood spills are treated as potentially infectious and dealt with in a safe manner.
These procedures should be outlined in workplace health and safety policies.
If you’re concerned about blood borne virus transmission in the workplace you can contact your health and safety officer, union, or call our LiverLine (1800 703 003) or webchat with us.
Home
When wiping up blood spills at home, you should:
- Wear gloves
- Use disposable paper towels
- Scrub the spill with lukewarm soapy water – you can also use one part bleach to 10 parts water 3
- Place paper towels in a plastic bag before putting in the bin
- Cover any cuts and abrasions.
Preventing sexual transmission of hepatitis B
Hepatitis B can be transmitted through unprotected anal and vaginal sex.
Practicing safer sex will reduce your risk of hepatitis B transmission and the spread of STIs.
This means:
- Using condoms, lubricant, and gloves
- Not sharing sex toys or thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting them between users
- Using condoms on sex toys you use.
Action:
For more information on sexual health, you can visit:
Preventing mother to baby transmission of hepatitis B
In Australia, all pregnant mothers are tested for hepatitis B. Babies born to mothers living with hepatitis B can be vaccinated at birth. If given within 24 hours, vaccination reduces the risk of hepatitis B transmission by 95%.4 Mothers with very high viral loads can also be safely treated during pregnancy to prevent transmission to the baby.5 We encourage all expectant mothers to be tested for hepatitis B during their pregnancy.
Hepatitis B is not transmitted through breast milk, so it is safe to breastfeed. While hepatitis B may be transmitted if you have cracked or bleeding nipples, there is a low risk of transmission if your baby has been vaccinated. If your baby has not been vaccinated you will need to express and dispose of your milk while your nipples are cracked and bleeding. You will be able to breast feed again when your nipples are healed.
Worried you’ve had a recent exposure to hepatitis B?
If you’re concerned that you’ve been exposed to the virus, and you’re not vaccinated visit your doctor or hospital emergency department. Hepatitis B post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can be used to decrease the chance of hepatitis B.
To be effective Hepatitis B PEP must be given within 72 hours but is more effective the earlier it’s given.6
It consists of:
- A single injection of hepatitis B immunoglobulin
- Three injections of hepatitis B vaccine spread over several months
Remember: if you’ve already been vaccinated against hepatitis B, you don’t need to worry about any of these measures as you are protected from the virus.
If you’re worried you’ve recently been exposed to hepatitis B and you’ve never been vaccinated, it’s important to see your GP or hospital emergency department. Let them know you’ve been exposed to the hepatitis B virus. There are several treatments available. Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) should ideally be given within 24 hours of exposure, but can be effective if administered up to 14 days after exposure from sexual contact.
Before treatment with hepatitis B PEP, you may have a blood test to check if you have immunity to the hepatitis B virus. If you do, you won’t need hepatitis B PEP.
Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG)
If you know you’ve been exposed to hepatitis B, you may be able to access hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG). This is a special blood product which has hepatitis B antibodies to fight the virus.
HBIG needs to be given within the first 72 hours as well.7 Administration of hepatitis B immunoglobulin within the first 72 hours of exposure has been shown to reduce the rate of transmission.8 You will need to follow up with two more hepatitis B vaccinations (at one and six months) to ensure full immunity.
Because it’s a difficult product to make it’s only given to people who are known to have been exposed to hepatitis B. You will also be given a hepatitis B vaccination at the same time as the HBIG. These need to be accessed through a hospital emergency department.
