Experts say Trump's guidance on hepatitis B vaccine and babies is dangerous

In a property convention this week, President Trump said there's nary logic to springiness babies nan Hepatitis B vaccine. But pediatricians and infectious illness experts opportunity this guidance is dangerous.

A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:

It's different for presidents to springiness retired aesculapian advice. But successful a White House property briefing earlier this week, President Trump questioned nan contented of vaccinating each newborns against hepatitis B.

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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: There's nary logic to springiness a babe that's almost conscionable calved hepatitis B. So I would opportunity hold till nan babe is 12 years old.

MARTÍNEZ: Pediatricians opportunity that's not only wrong, but besides dangerous. Here's NPR's Maria Godoy.

MARIA GODOY, BYLINE: Hepatitis B is simply a microorganism that attacks nan liver. The illness has nary cure and tin lead to liver cancer, cirrhosis and death. And nan risks of these outcomes is overmuch higher for group who get infected arsenic infants. Here's Dr. Andrew Pavia, a pediatric infectious illness master pinch nan University of Utah.

ANDREW PAVIA: About 25% of children who create chronic hepatitis B will dice of their infection.

GODOY: Before nan U.S. began universally vaccinating newborns successful 1991, immoderate 18,000 children each twelvemonth became infected earlier nan property of 10. About half were infected by their mothers astatine birth. The different half sewage it from location else. President Trump said hepatitis B is sexually transmitted, truthful there's nary logic to springiness nan vaccine to a baby. But Pavia says nan risks for kids are everywhere.

PAVIA: There person been cases of infections successful time care. There person been cases of infection connected sports teams. There person been documented infections from shared toothbrushes and from shared razors.

GODOY: The microorganism is recovered successful blood, saliva, moreover tears, and it tin unrecorded connected surfaces for up to 7 days. A kid pinch a coiled who comes into interaction pinch that aboveground moreover days later could go infected. Dr. Anita Patel is simply a pediatrician successful Washington, D.C. She says galore group don't cognize they person nan virus, but they tin still walk it connected unwittingly.

ANITA PATEL: If you person a cut, that humor could perchance get connected nan infant. And if that babe has immoderate benignant of break successful their skin, arsenic infants often do, they tin past get hepatitis B.

GODOY: She says that's why it's truthful important to springiness nan changeable astatine birth. Since that became regular successful nan U.S., lawsuit rates person plummeted by 99% among group property 19 and younger.

Maria Godoy, NPR News.

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