Skip Global navigation and goto content

It's a New Day in Public Health.

The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

Skip MegaMenu and goto content

Hepatitis

For questions, requests and comments, contact the STD section at:

  •  850-653-2111
  •  

    Fax

    850-653-9896
  •  

    Mailing Address

    Florida Department of Health Franklin County 

    139 12th St 

    Apalachicola, FL 32320 

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a serious health problem in the United States. Transmission of HBV from mother to infant during the perinatal period confers the greatest risk of chronic infection or death from HBV-related chronic liver disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that between 450 and 750 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive Florida women give birth each year; without prophylaxis, 45 to 100 infants would become infected with HBV. Ninety to 95 percent of these potential infections may be avoided through appropriate maternal screening and infant post-exposure prophylaxis.

Committed to Prevention

The Florida Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program (PHBPP) is committed to the prevention of perinatal HBV infection by:

  • The Florida Department of Health in Franklin County (DOH-Franklin) partners with the PHBPP in coordinating perinatal hepatitis B prevention activities in our community.
  • Providing proactive and responsive case identification, case management, and follow-up for women, infants, and contacts locally.
  • Identifying strategies within Franklin County to promote a sustainable and efficient program that is responsive to public and ever-changing healthcare environment.

Our Objectives

Specific objectives of Florida's PHBPP are:

  • All pregnant women are tested for HBsAg.
  • HBsAg-positive women are contacted before delivery and educated about HBV infection.
  • Medical providers and delivery facilities are informed of the mothers HBsAg status.
  • Infants born to HBsAg-positive women and those of unknown status receive hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) and hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth, with follow-up doses of vaccine at 1 and 6 months of age.
  • Infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers receive post-vaccination testing in a timely manner to ensure protection against HBV infection.
  • A tracking system is used to ensure the infant receives appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis.
  • Household and sexual contacts of HBsAg-positive women receive pre-vaccination testing, HBIG (if necessary), and hepatitis B vaccine at recommended intervals.