Hepatitis B in the spotlight: What to know about the viral infection

Vaccination against hepatitis B is a common recommendation - but what exactly is it preventing?

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his advisory group plan to meet this week to discuss and vote on various vaccine recommendations for hepatitis B, along with COVID-19 and measles, mumps and rubella.

An estimated 254 million people worldwide are living with the infection, the World Health Organization has reported.

The infection can be brief, known as acute hepatitis B, or it can be a long-term, chronic form, which can lead to complications like cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver failure.

Exposure can occur through unprotected sex, shared needles or syringes, or contaminated medical instruments. It can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her newborn during childbirth, according to Mayo Clinic.

Other symptoms of liver disease can include dark-colored urine, light or clay-colored stool, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (also known as jaundice), and swelling from fluid in the belly, arms and legs.

A person is contagious for as long as the virus is active in the body.

Acute hepatitis B can last for up to six months. There's a lower risk of contagion with inactive chronic hepatitis B, while active chronic hepatitis B is contagious indefinitely.

Hepatitis B can be diagnosed through blood tests, imaging tests like an elastography of the liver tissue, or a liver biopsy. A blood test can reveal whether the virus is active or inactive, according to Cleveland Clinic. 

If the infection leads to cancer, surgery may be a treatment option to remove part of the liver. A transplant may also be necessary if the entire liver must be removed.

The CDC recommends hepatitis B vaccination for all infants, children younger than 19, adults aged 19 to 59, and those older than 60 with risk factors. Multiple hepatitis B vaccines exist, requiring varying doses.

"If tests show you have hepatitis B, you may wonder how the disease will change your life. You may worry about spreading the virus to others," the organization wrote on its website.