If you didn't get the hepatitis B vaccine when you were a child and you belong to any of the following groups of people, you might want to get the vaccine now. The types of people in the list below have a higher risk of getting hepatitis B than other people.

You have a higher risk of getting hepatitis B if you are:

• Someone who has multiple sex partners or who has sex with people who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease
• A man who has anal sex with other men
• Someone who has HIV
• The sexual partner of someone who has hepatitis B
• Someone who injects illegal drugs
• Someone who lives with people who have had hepatitis B for a long time
• Someone who travels to parts of the world where hepatitis B is common
• A health care worker.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.