The Disease: Hepatitis B is a disease that affects the liver. It can be passed to a child from an infected mother during childbirth. The risk of developing hepatitis is estimated at 5 percent over a lifetime. It can cause tiredness, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and death. Chronic hepatitis B can cause liver failure and liver cancer in adults. Each year 200,000 people get hepatitis B and 4,000 to 5,000 die from it.

The Vaccine: The vaccine is given during the first year of life. The vaccine series provides protection against hepatits B in 95 percent of children who receive it.

Side effects

• Soreness and swelling at injection site
• Fussiness
• Mild to moderate fever
• Allergic reaction (rare)

For more information on this vaccine, the Center for Disease Control has a handout available- click here