Hepatitis B Vaccine Recombinant (Systemic)
   
Hepatitis B Vaccine Recombinant (Systemic)
US Brand Names
• Engerix-B
• Recombivax HB
• Recombivax HB Dialysis Formulation
Canadian Brand Names
• Engerix-B
• Recombivax HB
• Recombivax HB Dialysis Formulation
Another commonly used name is HB vaccine .
Description
Hepatitis (hep-ah-TY-tiss) B vaccine recombinant is used to prevent infection by the hepatitis B virus. The vaccine works by causing your body to produce its own protection (antibodies) against the disease.
Hepatitis B vaccine recombinant is made without any human blood or blood products or any other substances of human origin and cannot give you the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
HBV infection is a major cause of serious liver diseases, such as virus hepatitis and cirrhosis, and a type of liver cancer called primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
Pregnant women who have hepatitis B infection or are carriers of hepatitis B virus can give the disease to their babies when they are born. These babies often suffer serious long-term illnesses from the disease.
Immunization against hepatitis B disease is recommended for all newborn babies, infants, children, and adolescents up to 19 years old. It is also recommended for adults who live in areas that have a high rate of hepatitis B disease or who may be at increased risk of infection from hepatitis B virus. These adults include:
• Sexually active homosexual and bisexual males, including those with HIV infection.
• Sexually active heterosexual persons with multiple partners.
• Persons who may be exposed to the virus by means of blood, blood products, or human bites, such as health care workers, employees in medical facilities, patients and staff of live-in facilities and day-care programs for the developmentally disabled, morticians and embalmers, police and fire department personnel, and military personnel.
• Persons who have kidney disease or who undergo blood dialysis for kidney disease.
• Persons with blood clotting disorders who receive transfusions of clotting-factor concentrates.
• Household and sexual contacts of HBV carriers.
• Persons in areas with high risk of HBV infection [in the population], such as Alaskan Eskimos, Pacific Islanders, Haitian and Indochinese immigrants, and refugees from areas that have a high rate of hepatitis B disease; persons accepting orphans or adoptees from these areas; and travelers to these areas.
• Persons who use illegal injection drugs.
• Prisoners.
This vaccine is available only from your doctor or other authorized health care professional, in the following dosage form:
Before Receiving This Vaccine
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For hepatitis B recombinant vaccine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this vaccine or to the hepatitis B vaccine made from human plasma. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods (especially yeast). The vaccine is made by using yeast; persons allergic to yeast may also be allergic to the vaccine.
Pregnancy
Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals. However, the vaccine is not expected to cause problems during pregnancy.
Breast-feeding
It is not known whether hepatitis B vaccine passes into the breast milk. However, the vaccine is not expected to cause problems in nursing babies.
Children
Hepatitis B vaccine has been tested in newborns, infants, and children and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults. The vaccine strength for use in dialysis patients has been studied only in adult patients, and there is no specific information about its use in children receiving dialysis.
Teenagers
Hepatitis B vaccine is very effective when administered to adolescents and young adults. It is recommended that all adolescents who have not previously received three doses of hepatitis B vaccine should start or complete the vaccine series at 11 to 12 years of age. Hepatitis B vaccine has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in adolescents and young adults than it does in other age groups.
Older adults
This vaccine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults. However, persons over 50 years of age may not become as immune to the virus as do younger adults.
Other medicines
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Other medical problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of hepatitis B vaccine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
• Allergic reaction to hepatitis B vaccine, history of-Use of hepatitis B vaccine is not recommended
Proper Use of This Vaccine
Dosing
The dose of hepatitis B vaccine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders . The following information includes only the average doses of hepatitis B vaccine.
• For injection dosage form:
o For prevention of hepatitis B infection:
§ Adults, adolescents, and older children-2.5 to 20 micrograms (mcg) injected into the arm muscle during the first office visit, then one month and six months after the first dose, for a total of three doses.
§ Adults who also receive or will receive blood dialysis-40 mcg injected into the arm muscle during the first office visit, then one month and six months after the first dose, for a total of three doses; or 40 mcg injected into the arm muscle during the first office visit, then one month, two months, and six months after the first dose, for a total of four doses.
§ Infants and young children-2.5 to 20 mcg injected into the thigh muscle during the first office visit, then one month and six months after the first dose, for a total of three doses.
§ Newborn babies-2.5 to 20 mcg injected into the thigh muscle at birth or within seven days of birth, then one month and six months after the first dose, for a total of three doses; or 10 or 20 mcg injected into the thigh muscle at birth or within seven days of birth, then one month, two months, and twelve months after the first dose, for a total of four doses.
Side Effects of This Vaccine
Along with its needed effects, a vaccine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Symptoms of allergic reaction
RareDifficulty in breathing or swallowing; hives; itching, especially of feet or hands; reddening of skin, especially around ears; swelling of eyes, face, or inside of nose; unusual tiredness or weakness (sudden and severe).
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Aches or pain in joints, fever, or skin rash or welts (may occur days or weeks after receiving the vaccine); blurred vision or other vision changes; muscle weakness or numbness or tingling of arms and legs.
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:
More common
Soreness at the place of injection.
Less common
Dizziness; fever of 37.7 °C (100 °F) or higher; hard lump, redness, swelling, pain, itching, purple spot, tenderness, or warmth at place of injection; headache; unusual tiredness or weakness.
Rare
Aches or pain in muscles; back pain or stiffness or pain in neck or shoulder; chills; diarrhea or stomach cramps or pain; general feeling of discomfort or illness; increased sweating; headache (mild), sore throat, runny nose, or fever (mild); itching; lack of appetite or decreased appetite; nausea or vomiting; sudden redness of skin; swelling of glands in armpit or neck; trouble in sleeping; welts.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.
June 20, 1997 
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