From the Guidelines
To prevent hepatitis B (HBV) at home, focus on avoiding contact with infected blood and bodily fluids, and ensure all household members are vaccinated against HBV, as recommended by the most recent guidelines 1. The key precautions to take at home include:
- Never sharing personal items that might have blood contact, such as razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers, or earrings
- Using condoms during sexual activity if you're not in a monogamous relationship with a non-infected partner
- Covering any cuts or open sores with bandages
- Cleaning blood spills with a mixture of one part bleach to ten parts water while wearing gloves
- Avoiding direct contact with the blood of someone in your household who has HBV, and not sharing items that might have blood on them
- Ensuring all household members are vaccinated against HBV, as this is the most effective prevention method, providing long-lasting immunity 1 It's also important to note that HBV can survive outside the body for up to seven days and is much more infectious than HIV, making these precautions crucial in preventing transmission. Additionally, HBsAg-positive persons should be advised to:
- Notify their household, sex, and needle-sharing contacts that they should be tested for markers of HBV infection, vaccinated against hepatitis B, and, if susceptible, complete the hepatitis B vaccine series
- Use methods (e.g., condoms) to protect nonimmune sex partners from acquiring HBV infection from sexual activity until the sex partners can be vaccinated and their immunity documented
- Cover cuts and skin lesions to prevent the spread of infectious secretions or blood
- Clean blood spills with bleach solution
- Refrain from donating blood, plasma, tissue, or semen
- Refrain from sharing household articles (e.g., toothbrushes, razors, or personal injection equipment) that could become contaminated with blood
- Dispose of blood and body fluids and medical waste properly 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
For an infant with perinatal exposure to an HBsAg-positive and HBeAg-positive mother, a regimen combining one dose of Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human) at birth with the hepatitis B vaccine series started soon after birth is 85%–95% effective in preventing development of the HBV carrier state. Since infants have close contact with primary care-givers and they have a higher risk of becoming HBV carriers after acute HBV infection, prophylaxis of an infant less than 12 months of age with Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human) and hepatitis B vaccine is indicated if the mother or primary care-giver has acute HBV infection.
The precautions for hepatitis B at home include:
- Vaccination: hepatitis B vaccine series for individuals at risk, such as infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers or those with sexual exposure to an HBsAg-positive person 2
- Immune Globulin: administration of Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human) for post-exposure prophylaxis in certain situations, such as percutaneous exposure or sexual exposure to an HBsAg-positive person 2
- Prophylaxis for infants: combining one dose of Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human) at birth with the hepatitis B vaccine series started soon after birth for infants with perinatal exposure to an HBsAg-positive and HBeAg-positive mother 2
- Household exposure: prophylaxis of an infant less than 12 months of age with Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human) and hepatitis B vaccine if the mother or primary care-giver has acute HBV infection 2
From the Research
Precautions for Hepatitis B at Home
To prevent hepatitis B (HBV) at home, several precautions can be taken:
- Good personal hygiene is essential, as hepatitis is transmitted by close contact with an infected person or exposure to infected food, water, or blood 3
- Use "Blood and Body Fluid Precautions" and "Universal Precautions" when in contact with blood and body fluids, such as wearing gloves, goggles, and masks when necessary 4
- Wash hands before and after contact with blood and body fluids, even when wearing gloves 4
- Treat specimens as biohazards and refuse and linen as infectious 4
- Educate patients about the disease, especially if they are carriers, and discuss safe sex practices 4
- Immunize partners and newborn babies of infected individuals 4
Additional Measures
- Vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for individuals at high risk, such as hemodialysis unit personnel and patients, surgeons, dentists, and male homosexuals 5
- Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) can provide immediate passive protection against infection with hepatitis B virus after acute exposure 6
- Combine HBIG with active immunization with hepatitis B vaccine for maximum protection 6