Sec. 10.06.01.11. Hepatitis, Viral Type B

A. Control of a Case. A physician in attendance upon a case having viral hepatitis type B shall educate that case on the:

(1) Risks of sexual transmission, household contact transmission, maternal-infant transmission, and transmission by the sharing of hypodermic needles and other drug paraphernalia;

(2) Availability of hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin for contacts who have had sexual contact with a case of hepatitis B within the preceding 14 days, contacts who have percutaneous exposures to hepatitis B, and infants born to case mothers who carry hepatitis B virus at delivery, and the need for referring those contacts to health care providers for preventive treatment;

(3) Importance of vaccination for viral hepatitis type A if the case is not already immune by reason of prior infection or prior vaccination; and

(4) Importance of testing pregnant women for hepatitis B surface antigen at each pregnancy.

B. Control of Contacts. A physician or health officer in attendance upon a contact of viral hepatitis type B shall:

(1) Educate that contact about the availability of vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin for contacts with exposure to the case’s blood or other infectious body fluids;

(2) Recommend preventive treatment consistent with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines based on type of exposure; and

(3) Require that infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen positive mothers:

(a) Receive hepatitis B immune globulin and the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth;

(b) Receive the rest of the vaccination series; and

(c) Are tested for hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B surface antibody at 9 to 15 months old.

C. Infection Control. Health care providers shall practice standard precautions.