Prevention of hepatitis A

Description:

The vaccine against hepatitis A is the most effective prophylactic. If to complete a full course of vaccination and to receive both injections, then they I can protect from infection in 94-100% of cases.

Performing vaccination against hepatitis A it is recommended:

    * To all children at the age of one year. Children receive two injections at an interval of six months. In 2006 the center for control and prevention of diseases of the USA recommended to carry out such vaccination as many children and teenagers were not imparted from hepatitis A.
    * To children and teenagers who are not imparted from hepatitis A and are in the following provision:
          ov their environment proceeds disease epidemic.
          ooni live in the country where vaccination is obligatory as this disease is very often shown.
    * To people who by the nature of the activity or lifestyle are in risk group of infection with hepatitis. Among them:
          ote who plan a trip to other countries where bad sanitary conditions and hepatitis A is a frequent disease.
          olyudi which use illegal medicines.
          omuzhchiny which have sexual relations with men.
          ote who work with monkeys who are infected with a virus, and those who investigate a virus.
          olyudi with chronic diseases of a liver.
          olyudi which expect or made transplantation of a liver.
          ote who has the hemophilia or a disease connected with a blood coagulation.

For people vosemnatsat are more senior the vaccine which prevents infection with hepatitis A and B is available.

Advantages and shortcomings of vaccination against hepatitis A

Adults who are going to travel to the countries where hepatitis is a frequent disease can make the analysis on hepatitis A virus antibodies before performing vaccination. If the analysis finds antibodies, then vaccination will not be required.

Before performing vaccination during the analysis pay attention to the following things to antibodies of a virus:

    * Vaccination can be less expensive procedure, than the analysis. Costs of the analysis include payment of consultation of the doctor and laboratory researches. If the analysis shows that you need vaccination, you should pay a full course, including costs of additional services.
    * You can complete a vaccination course even if in your blood virus antibodies were found, it will not do any harm.
    * The vaccine against hepatitis A begins to work fully only in four weeks after an injection, but even in two weeks after vaccination it protects to a certain extent. If you decided to make the analysis on antibodies, plan it beforehand. People are more senior than sixty years have to receive injections earlier, than in four weeks prior to departure as researches show that at the senior people immunity is developed much more slowly.

If you know that you need to complete a vaccination course, but the travel will take less than four weeks, you have to receive the first injection before departure. One injection provides 90% of protection against infection and can reduce sharpness of course of a disease. If you want to reduce risk to a minimum, you need to receive the first injection and an injection of immunoglobulin, it will provide the maximum protection against infection with a hepatitis A virus. You can receive the second vaccine in 6-18 months after the first (it is dependent on recommendations of the doctor).

Other factors which concern performing vaccination against hepatitis A:

    * As much as possible to protect itself from infection with a virus, try to receive the first vaccine approximately in six months prior to departure to the country where hepatitis is a frequent disease.
    * Today vaccination against hepatitis of workers of medicine, trade and education is not obligatory as their chances to catch a disease not one many more, than at other people. But workers some the centers of day care of children nevertheless underwent vaccination as it is rather effective in prevention of a disease. Besides this vaccine has no side effects. But if in such institutions there is hepatitis epidemic, people who contact to a virus, have to receive an immunoglobulin injection.
    * If you contacted to somebody who has hepatitis A, you have to receive a vaccine or an injection of immunoglobulin as soon as possible. If you make it within two weeks after the first contact with a virus, then will not get sick.
    * Vaccination against hepatitis A is effective to a certain extent even if you already contacted to a virus.

How to avoid infection with hepatitis A:

    * If your lifestyle, the state of health, work or other factors increase risk of infection with hepatitis, complete a vaccination course.
    * Develop good habits of hygiene.
          opozabottes about that you and members of your family always washed hands with soap after visit of a toilet and before cooking.
          wash ware in hot, soap water or the dishwasher.
          ozapreshchayte to take children objects in a mouth, especially if they share toys with other children.
          one take food and drinks which can be prepared in bad sanitary conditions.
    * Protect yourself before a travel and in time it. If you plan to visit the country where bad sanitary conditions, and hepatitis is a problem, see a doctor and receive a vaccine against hepatitis A, immunoglobulin or a vaccine against hepatitis A and B. Use bottle water or you boil it before the use. Do not use unboiled water or drinks which contain ice cubes. Do not use crude products (for example, the crude fruit or vegetables).
    * Do not use not crude mollusks. If mollusks are grown up in water which is contaminated by a virus, they may contain it.

Employees of kindergartens have to be instructed how to prevent spread of hepatitis A. Even if at children insignificant symptoms are shown or they have no symptoms, all of them can transmit an infection to other children, tutors and adults at whom more acute symptoms can be shown. To prevent spread of hepatitis A, tutors have to:

    * Every time during change of a diaper to use plastic (not latex because of a possible allergy) one-time gloves.
    * To wash hands to the child and to put on new pair of gloves before change of a diaper of other child.
    * After each change of a diaper to wash a swaddling little table.
    * To discuss a possibility of their vaccination with doctors of children.