Hepatitis B

General Information

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease.

Hepatitis B can be prevented by vaccines that are safe, available and effective.

WHO recommends that all infants receive the hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours, followed by 2 or 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine at least 4 weeks apart to complete the vaccination series. Protection lasts at least 20 years and is probably lifelong.

Transmission

The virus is most commonly transmitted from mother to child during birth and delivery, as well as through contact with blood or other body fluids, unsafe injections or exposures to sharp instruments.

Symptoms

Most people do not experience any symptoms when newly infected.

Some people have acute illness with symptoms that last several weeks, such as yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine, tiredness and pain in the abdomen.

When severe, acute hepatitis can lead to liver failure and death.

Although most people will recover from acute illness, some people with chronic hepatitis B will develop progressive liver disease and liver disease which can be fatal.

Epidemiology

2019

WHO estimates that 296 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B infection in 2019, with 1.5 million new infections each year.

In 2019, hepatitis B resulted in an estimated 820,000 deaths, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer).

Vaccines Pipeline

2
Vaccines in
the pipeline

TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS

Multiple platforms (1)
Virus-like particle​ (1)

DEVELOPMENT PHASES

Phase II (2)

TRIAL POPULATION

Adults (2)

Source:
WHO. Hepatitis B. 2023 [cited 2023 August]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-b