Viral Hepatitis B Frequently Asked Questions for Health Professionals

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based upon material published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is available as an open-access article. Hepatitis B is a pathogen that infects an estimated 580,000 to 1.17 million people in the United States. Symptoms of hepatitis B include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, and dark urine, although not all people with acute hepatitis B have symptoms. It is transmitted via percutaneous or mucosal contact with infected blood or bodily fluids and can survive outside the body for at least seven days. Screening for hepatitis B is available and is recommended for certain groups. Screening processes often use seromarkers such as the hepatitis B surface antigen to determine diagnosis of hepatitis B infection. Certain populations and activities are at increased risk of being exposed to hepatitis B, including injection drug use, incarceration in a jail or prison, and having multiple sexual partners. Vaccination for hepatitis B is available and recommended for all adults aged 19 to 59 years and for adults 60 years or older seeking protection. There are certain considerations to be made when determining the specific vaccine to be used as well as a vaccination schedule, and specific populations may experience variations in the typical vaccination schedule. This course on symptoms, risk factors, testing, and vaccination for hepatitis B is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their knowledge of symptoms, risk factors, testing, and vaccination for hepatitis B. The course material includes a literature review of iinterventions and research. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. The course is based on a journal article that includes research. It contains statistical analysis and data that some clinicians enjoy reading and others do not. A significant benefit of reading research-based articles for continuing education is they provide practitioners with the latest findings in their field. Authors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding symptoms, risk factors, testing, and vaccination for hepatitis B. Specifically, a professional will: Recognize signs and symptoms of hepatitis B infection. Identify screening and testing measures to diagnose hepatitis B infection. Describe vaccination procedures against hepatitis B. Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, March 30). Frequently Asked Questions for Health Professionals. https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hbv/hbvfaq.htm.