Hepatitis B

Statutory notification

• Hepatitis B is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• See notifiable communicable disease case definitions (Word 1.29MB).
• Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 209KB) or regional residents (PDF 208KB).
• For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health management

Important information

• Infectious agent: Hepatitis B virus.
• Transmission: Hepatitis B is usually passed on through direct contact with infected blood and blood products, or other bodily fluids including semen and vaginal fluids. An infected mother can pass hepatitis B on to her baby during childbirth.
• Incubation period: Usually 45 to 180 days, with an average of 60 to 90 days.
• Infectious period: From weeks before to months after onset. Long-term carriers may be infectious for life.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: Antiviral treatment for people with chronic hepatitis B as recommended by the Guidelines for Managing Sexually Transmitted Infections - WA.
• Immunisation: Recommended that children be vaccinated according to the Western Australian vaccination schedule. Also recommended for household contacts of people with chronic hepatitis B, occupational and other high-risk groups according to the Guidelines for Managing Sexually Transmitted Infections - WA. Immunisation can be used for post-exposure prophylaxis according to OD 0641/15 Management of Occupational Exposures to Blood or Body Fluids in the Healthcare Setting (external site).
• Case follow-up: Is the responsibility of health care providers.

Guidelines

• Guidelines for Managing Sexually Transmitted Infections - WA
• Western Australian vaccination schedule
• Australian Immunisation Handbook, Department of Health – Hepatitis B (external site)
• OD 0394/12 Policy for Health Care Workers known to be Infected with Blood-borne Viruses
• OD 0641/15 Management of Occupational Exposures to Blood or Body Fluids in the Healthcare Setting (external site.
• OD 0553/14 Provision of Sterile Needles and Syringes from Rural and Regional Hospitals to People Who Inject Drugs
• OD 0554/14 The Operation and Maintenance of Needle and Syringe Vending Machines (NSVMS)
• Skin Penetration Code of Practice (PDF 324KB)
• Communicable Disease Guidelines for teachers, childcare workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners
• Guidelines for the Provision of Hepatitis A and B Vaccine to Adults in Western Australia at Risk of Acquiring these Infections by Sexual Transmission (PDF 1MB)
• WA Health Guidelines for Accessing State Funded Vaccines and Immunoglobulin Blood Products for Public Health Disease Control Activities (Word 1MB)

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Up-to-date hepatitis B notification data
• General infectious disease reports