Vaccines of Hepatitis A and B

Vaccines of Hepatitis A and B

Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are closely related diseases. Hepatitis is marked by liver inflammation, and the consequences of getting the disease are potentially serious and, in some cases, fatal. There are safe and effective vaccines that can prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B. There is even a combination vaccine that can protect against both diseases.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is an acute liver disease that's caused by the hepatitis A virus or HAV. The virus is present in the stool of someone who has the disease and is commonly spread by close personal contact. If one member of a family has hepatitis A, he or she can easily pass the disease to others living in the same household. Commonly associated with unsanitary conditions, the virus can also be spread through ingesting food or water that's been contaminated with HAV. Although it's less common, it's also possible for the virus to be passed on in blood from an infected person.

Symptoms of HAV infection include a mild flu-like illness, jaundice, and severe stomach pains and diarrhea. Approximately 20% of people with symptoms need to be hospitalized, and three to five people out of every 1,000 cases die from the disease. Most children -- about 90% -- under the age of 6 who develop hepatitis A are symptom-free. But even though they don't appear to be ill, the virus is still present in their stool, and they can pass the disease on to others.

Vaccination

Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for all children age 12 months and older, for travellers to certain countries, and for people at high risk for infection with the virus.

The hepatitis A vaccine is given as two shots, six months apart. The hepatitis A vaccine also comes in a combination form, containing both hepatitis A and B vaccine, that can be given to persons 18 years of age and older. This form is given as three shots, over a period of six months or as three shots over one month and a booster shot at 12 months.

For children: The first dose should be given at 12-23 months of age. Children who are not vaccinated by two years of age can be vaccinated at later visits.

For travellers: The first dose of hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for healthy international travellers younger than 40 years of age at any time before departure.

For others: The hepatitis A vaccine series may be started whenever a person is at risk of infection:

Men who have sexual contact with other men, Users of certain illegal drugs, both injection and non-injection, Family and caregivers before arrival of international adoptees, People with chronic (lifelong) liver diseases, such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C, People who are treated with clotting-factor concentrates, People who work with hepatitis A infected animals or in a hepatitis A research laboratory.