Previously unvaccinated persons who will work in health-care fields for any duration in high or moderate HBV endemicity areas are strongly advised to receive hepatitis B vaccine prior to such travel. Two types of hepatitis B vaccines have been licensed in the United States. One, which was manufactured from plasma of HBV carriers, is no longer produced in the United States. Hepatitis B vaccines have been shown to be very safe when given to adults and children. In the United States, it is estimated that more than 20 million adults and adolescents and 16 million infants or children have been vaccinated.
Primary vaccination consists of three intramuscular doses of vaccine.
When the vaccine is administered as a three-dose series, the second dose should be given 1 month after the first dose, and the third dose 6 months after the first dose. Vaccination should ideally begin at least 6 months before travel to complete the full vaccine series prior to departure. Since some protection is provided by one or two doses, the vaccine series should be initiated, if indicated, even if it cannot be completed prior to departure. For children and adults whose immune status is normal, booster doses of vaccine are not recommended, nor is serologic testing to assess antibody levels necessary. Both vaccines are routinely administered in a three-dose series.