​What is hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG)?​

HBIG is made from blood and contains antibodies to hepatitis B. It gives fast protection, but the protection is not long lasting.

When you get HBIG, you also start a hepatitis B vaccine series so your body can make its own antibodies for long-lasting protection.

What is hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is an infection in the liver that’s caused by a virus. Symptoms include poor appetite, stomach pain, nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), vomiting (throwing up), and jaundice (yellow skin and eyes). Some people don’t have any symptoms.

Up to 1 out of 10 adults who get hepatitis B will develop an infection that doesn’t go away (called a chronic infection). It can lead to liver damage (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and death. The younger you are when you get hepatitis B, the higher the chance of having a chronic infection. For example, more than 9 out of 10 babies with hepatitis B will have a chronic infection.

When you have a chronic hepatitis B infection, you can spread hepatitis B to others, even if you don’t look or feel sick. 

Around the world each year, 600,000 people die from hepatitis B-related disease.

Who’s most at risk?

Anyone can get hepatitis B. Almost 1 out of 3 people who have it don’t have any risk factors. You have the highest risk if:

• The person who gave birth to you had hepatitis B when you were born.
  
• You live with someone who has chronic hepatitis B.
  
• You are on dialysis.
  
• You live in or travel to countries with high rates of hepatitis B.
  
• You have a lifestyle that puts you at risk for hepatitis B (such as having unprotected sex or sharing injection needles).
  

How does it spread?

Hepatitis B spreads by having contact with the blood and body fluids of a person who has it. It can spread through:

• childbirth (if the person giving birth has hepatitis B)
  
• shared needles, razors, nail clippers, or toothbrushes
• contact with equipment that isn’t cleaned properly (such as needles used for tattoos, body piercings, or acupuncture)
• sex
• human bites or open sores
  

Who should get HBIG?

HBIG may be offered when you’re unprotected against hepatitis B and you may have had contact with the hepatitis B virus. For example, HBIG may be offered after a needlestick injury or to a newborn baby if the parent who gave birth has hepatitis B.

How many doses do I need?

You need 1 dose of HBIG as soon as possible after contact with hepatitis B. You’ll also need a dose of hepatitis B vaccine.

How well does HBIG work?

If you have contact with hepatitis B, HBIG and a dose of hepatitis B vaccine work very well to protect you. You need HBIG and hepatitis B vaccine within 7 days after contact with a person’s blood who has hepatitis B, or within 14 days after sexual contact with them.

For babies exposed at childbirth, HBIG and a dose of hepatitis B vaccine, given within 24 hours of birth, are 85% to 95% effective in preventing hepatitis B.

Is HBIG safe?

HBIG is one of the safest blood products available. The risk of getting an infection from HBIG is very small. 

Canadian Blood Services carefully screens donors and tests all blood. Blood is not used if the donor has risk factors or tests positive for an infectious disease. 

HBIG is treated with heat and chemicals to kills germs.

Where can I get HBIG?

Newborn babies who need HBIG and hepatitis B vaccine get them at the hospital.

If you think you have been in contact with hepatitis B, call Health Link at 811. If you need HBIG and hepatitis B vaccine, you’ll get them at your local public health or community health center or hospital.

It’s important to finish all doses of hepatitis B vaccine and do any follow-up blood tests that your healthcare provider recommends.

Are there side effects from HBIG?

There can be side effects from HBIG, but they tend to be mild and go away in a few days. Side effects may include:

• feeling sore where you had the needle
• feeling unwell
• a headache
• a fever
• body aches or sore joints
• feeling sick to your stomach (nausea) or loose stool (diarrhea)
  

It’s important to stay for 15 minutes after you have HBIG. Some people may have a rare but serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. If anaphylaxis happens, you will get medicine to treat the symptoms.

It’s rare to have a serious side effect. Call Health Link at 811 to report any serious or unusual side effects.

How can I manage side effects?

• To help with soreness and swelling, put a cool, wet cloth over the area where you had the needle.
• There is medicine to help with a fever or pain. Check with your healthcare provider if you are not sure what medicine or dose to take. Follow the directions on the package.
• Some people with health problems, such as a weak immune system, must call their healthcare provider if they get a fever. If you have been told to do this, call your healthcare provider even if you think the fever is from HBIG.

Who may not be able to get HBIG?

Talk to your healthcare provider before getting HBIG if:

• You have an allergy to any part of the immune globulin. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about any allergies you may have.
  
• You had a severe (serious) or unusual side effect after this immune globulin or one like it
• You have low or no immunoglobulin A in your blood (IgA deficiency)

You can still get HBIG if you have a mild illness such as a cold or fever.

What vaccines protect against hepatitis B?

For long-term protection, you need to be immunized with a vaccine that protects against hepatitis B.

• DTaP-IPV-Hib-HB protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), and hepatitis B. As part of the routine immunization schedule, babies get this vaccine starting at age 2 months.
• HBV vaccine protects against hepatitis B virus. Students can get this vaccine as part of the school immunization program. Most people born in 1981 or later who went to school in Alberta have had this vaccine. 
  
• Twinrix vaccine protects against the hepatitis A and B viruses. People who travel, often get this vaccine.​

Can HBIG affect any vaccines I’ve had?

HBIG can interfere with live vaccines. You need to wait at least 3 months after having HBIG before you can have a live vaccine. 

Before you get a live vaccine, tell your healthcare provider if you had HBIG in the past 3 months.

If you had a live vaccine less than 14 days before having HBIG, ask a public health nurse if you need the live vaccine again.

I have a fear of needles. How can I prepare for my immunization?

Many adults and children are afraid of needles. There are things you can do before, during, and after immunization to be more comfortable. Visit Commitment to Comfort for tips to make immunization a better experience.

More information about immunization

• ​​Call Health Link at 811.
• Go to ahs.ca/immunize.​