All babies could get hepatitis B jab as infections soar: Numbers affected have doubled in past decade

All children could be vaccinated against hepatitis B in a bid to curb soaring rates of infection.
The numbers affected by the deadly illness have almost doubled in the past decade.
The massive increase is believed to be fuelled by rising levels of  unprotected sex and immigration from countries where the virus is prevalent.

Prevention: All Babies could get the hepatitis jab as infections continue to soar

Ministers are considering offering the jab to all children at the same time as vaccines for other illnesses such as polio, whooping cough and tetanus.
Around 325,000 Britons are thought to be infected with hepatitis B, a virus which can cause liver cancer, liver disease and death. The total is almost twice the 2002 number of 180,000.
Experts say the rise is partly due to high numbers of people coming into Britain from areas in the world where hepatitis B is rampant, such as Africa, South-East Asia, Russia and parts of Europe including Albania. More than half of those infected are believed to be immigrants.
The virus is spread through blood and other bodily fluids, including from mother to baby.
According to the NHS, it is 100 times more infectious than HIV.
Currently only ‘at risk’ groups are offered the vaccine, such as prostitutes, gay men, women with multiple partners and prisoners.

But the World Health Organisation, British Medical Association and several leading doctors say a jab should be rolled out ‘without delay’. They point out that Britain lags years behind most other Western countries including the U.S., Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and Greece by refusing to vaccinate all babies.
Last month the Department of Health’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation  discussed whether the vaccine should be offered to all children.
It could be added to the five-in-one jab – currently given to babies at two to four months to protect against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio and Hib – haemophilus influenza B – as a single injection. It could also be given to babies as a separate jab at some point before their first birthday.

Rampant: Hepatitis B infections have been blamed on numbers of people coming from Africa, South East-Asia, Russia and Albania

The committee is now weighing up which method, if any, would be the most beneficial and best value for money. Hepatitis B infects the liver. It is spread by unprotected sex, sharing needles to inject drugs and from infected mother to baby.
Around a quarter of infected people who are untreated for more than six months will die of liver disease.
Many do not even realise they are infected as symptoms are similar to flu. Some do not feel unwell at all. Symptoms include headaches, fever, nausea, loss of appetite as well as stomach pains and jaundice.
Dr George Kassianos, immunisation spokesman for the Royal College of GPs, said: ‘We lag ten years behind other countries in not offering this vaccine. It is the only way to manage the increase of hepatitis B in this  country. The current policy of only offering it to targeted populations isn’t working.
‘Migration has changed the hepatitis B epidemiology in the UK and whole of Europe. We need to do something about it while it is possible to control the disease by vaccination.’
A spokesman for the British Medical Association said: ‘Hepatitis B is a major cause of cancer, costs the NHS millions of pounds every year and causes great suffering.
‘Given that case numbers are increasing, an immunisation programme would not only save lives but be more cost-effective than dealing with the consequences of infection.’
Some campaigners claim there is a link between the jab and chronic fatigue syndrome or ME.
Jackie Fletcher, spokesman for the Jabs group, which campaigns for more research on dangers of  vaccines, said: ‘There could be a risk of adverse reaction.
‘The virus is spread by unprotected sex and needles – there is not really a risk for babies. It would be a bit like Russian roulette.’
A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘The JCVI keeps its advice under review and will continue to consider if a hepatitis B-containing vaccine should be introduced into the routine childhood immunisation schedule in the future.’