Decades after HBV infection, patients can develop liver failure and require a liver transplant. Because there is no cure for HBV infections, patients often have recurrent liver disease after a transplant.

The virus is found in blood, saliva, semen and other bodily fluids, even tears, and it can live on surfaces for up to seven days. A child with a wound who comes into contact with that surface — even days later — could become infected, says Anita Patel, a pediatrician and pediatric critical care physician in Washington, D.C.

The best way to prevent hepatitis B infection is vaccination. The vaccines are highly effective at preventing infection in infants and for long-term protection into adulthood.

As hepatitis B research progresses, achieving higher functional cure rates is becoming more feasible. It is vital that policymakers set clear elimination targets for hepatitis B, coordinate efforts, enhance surveillance, and create supportive regulatory environments to support this.

The CDC's vaccine advisory committee could vote this week to change hepatitis B vaccine recommendations for children. Here's what to know.