There are effective vaccines that teach your immune system how to recognize hepatitis B virus and fight it off before it can lead to infection in your liver. This vaccine is good, but nothing in life is perfect. About 1 in 10 to 20 people do not respond to the vaccine and can be infected. Also, it may take a few months before your body's immune system responds to the vaccine. For those who know that they have just been exposed to hepatitis B, there is something called HBIG or hepatitis B immune globulin. These are immune proteins that can help your body mop up hepatitis B before it can infect the liver. For this to work, HBIG must be given shortly after you have been exposed to hepatitis B virus. Babies born to mothers with hepatitis B normally get both the vaccine and HBIG at birth.