risk groups

Last edited 06/2018 and last reviewed 03/2022

Persons at increased risk of infection include:

  • substance use with sharing of equipment
    • shared, unsterile needles in parenteral drug abusers
    • inhalation drug use
  • recipients of blood transfusions - if donor blood is not screened for HBsAg
  • haemodialysis patients
  • exposure to HBsAg-positive person e.g - sexual partners of chronic HBV carriers
  • high-risk sexual activities
    • unprotected sex
    • multiple sexual partners
  • neonates of HBsAg positive mothers - usually at the time of birth or during close contact afterwards, rather than via the umbilical vein
  • occupational exposure to blood/body fluids
    • health-care workers - e.g. skin abrasions
  • birth in a region with intermediate or high endemicity
  • institutionalised individuals and their attendants e.g. prisoners, mentally handicapped - especially Down's syndrome
  • exposure before 7 years of age (e.g. - child’s immediate and/or extended family immigrated from a region of intermediate/high endemicity and/or child visited such a region
  • use of shared/contaminated materials or equipment
    • instruments/tools used for personal services procedures such as tattooing/ piercing/body modifications
    • alternative health care that has the potential to break the skin
    • family members of infected patients - shared toothbrushes, shared razors, sexual contacts
    • medical devices (e.g., glucometers)
  • travel to/residence in a region of intermediate/ high endemicity (1)

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