Table 3:

Screening recommendations for hepatitis B in persons not known to be HBV immune or vaccinated

Born or resident in region where HBV is more common (Central, East, or South Asia; Australasia; Eastern Europe; South America; Sub-Saharan Africa; North Africa or Middle East) Household contacts with HBV carriers (including unvaccinated persons whose parents were from HBV-endemic countries), especially children of HBV-positive mothers Sexual contacts with HBV carriers, persons with multiple sexual partners Illicit injection or intranasal drug use or shared drug paraphernalia (past or present) Inmates Patients with chronic renal failure who need dialysis Signs of liver disease (ie, abnormal liver enzyme tests) or other infectious diseases (ie, hepatitis C, HIV; hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and jaundice are late findings) All pregnant women Patients needing immune modulation therapy or those who will develop immunosuppression such as cancer chemotherapy

Note: High-risk individuals who test negative for hepatitis B surface antigen and HBV surface antibody negative should be offered the vaccine. HBV = hepatitis B virus. Adopted from the Canadian Liver Foundation (www.liver.ca) and Public Health Agency of Canada National Immunization Guide