Hepatitis is a serious liver disease that can be transmitted from person to person. The disease can have a chronic form, some of its types provoke the development of cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer.
The disease has three types - A, B and C. Hepatitis A is better known as "jaundice." Forms B and C lead to the destruction of the liver, in addition, the course of the disease is often asymptomatic. There are vaccinations against hepatitis A and B. Vaccination against hepatitis B must be done according to the schedule of vaccinations.
Hepatitis A vaccination is done at will, most often this need arises before traveling to regions where this infection is common. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C yet.
Hepatitis A
This is an acute infectious disease, which can be infected through food, water, household items, as well as directly in contact with the patient. The disease is not dangerous, but without proper treatment, severe liver failure can develop, which can lead to coma and death.
At the beginning of the disease, the patient experiences nausea and vomiting, fever, pain and heaviness in the right hypochondrium. A little later, the skin and mucous membranes turn yellow, feces become discolored, and urine becomes dark.
A sick person is placed in an infectious diseases hospital for at least a month. Full recovery occurs within six months. Long recovery from illness, weakness, the need to adhere to a strict diet significantly reduce the quality of life.
Although hepatitis A vaccines are not mandatory, this is the only effective way to protect against this disease.
Vaccination features
Doctors recommend vaccination for children in cases where there is a risk of infection, for example, when there is a person who has hepatitis A in the environment of the child before traveling to hot countries. High risk of infection among the medical staff of the infectious diseases departments, educators and staff of kindergartens, catering and water supply workers.
Before the trip, vaccination is done two weeks before departure, so that the body has time to develop immunity. After contact with a sick person, vaccination must be done within 10 days.
Before vaccination, they donate blood for analysis. If antibodies are found in it, it means that the child was vaccinated earlier or already had hepatitis. In this case, there can be no second infection, as long-term immunity remains.
Hepatitis A vaccines can be given after the child is one year old. The vaccine is administered intramuscularly, mainly in the shoulder. In order to develop a stable immunity, it is necessary to repeat the vaccination after 6-18 months.
Vaccine response
Imported vaccine has no side effects. What can not be said about domestic drugs. Within a few days after hepatitis A vaccination, the child may experience malaise, headaches, decreased appetite, gastrointestinal upset, sensations of weakness and muscle pain, allergic reactions in the form of itching or urticaria. A child can be moody and irritable.
Redness, swelling, slight pain, thickening, itching at the injection site may be observed. It must be remembered that this area cannot be lubricated.
If the child has a significant increase in temperature, you can give an antipyretic.
Such side effects are completely normal, pass quickly and do not affect the health of the baby. But in the event that such symptoms last for a long time and cause concern, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician.
Contraindications
A hepatitis A vaccine is given to children after examination by a pediatrician, which avoids possible complications. Vaccination is not carried out in case of individual intolerance to the components of the drug, with bronchial asthma, as well as in the acute period of any disease. The child must be completely healthy.
If you do not adhere to these conditions, complications may occur. This may be Quincke's edema, the development of liver failure, lesions of the nervous system, the occurrence of failures in the work of various organs and exacerbation of chronic diseases. Serious complications can lead to coma and death.
The main danger of hepatitis A is that a child can become a carrier of infection even with a mild, asymptomatic course of the disease. And in the body of an adult, this disease is much more complicated, even a fatal outcome is possible. Therefore, hepatitis A vaccination for children is the most effective way to prevent the disease.
Hepatitis B
Viral hepatitis B - the disease is more dangerous. The virus causes severe liver damage, which can result in cirrhosis and cancer. Therefore, treatment should be started as soon as possible.
How does infection happen?
The disease is transmitted sexually (with unprotected contact), through the blood (injections, operations, blood transfusions, etc.). You can get infected by having a manicure in the salon, a tattoo or piercing with non-sterile instruments, on which blood particles of an infected person remain.
There are cases when a child became infected by accidentally pricking a used syringe in the sandbox.
Persistent immunity to the disease is developed after vaccination. Hepatitis B is highly contagious, and it is vaccination that can prevent the spread of the virus.
Symptoms
The disease can be acute and chronic. The acute form occurs some time after the infection has occurred. A person rises in temperature, shakes him, nausea occurs, the skin becomes yellow. Within 6-8 weeks of therapy, a person can recover, while he forms a natural immunity, in another case, the disease can go into a chronic form, which can be either active or inactive.
With the active form, you will need to take antiviral agents, an inactive form of treatment does not require. But control over the course of the disease is still necessary.
The chronic form of the disease often progresses very slowly, while the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer is low. Actively progressive disease in 20% of cases can lead to the development of these diseases, especially if a person abuses alcohol.
Chronic hepatitis B is much more dangerous. A sick person feels bad, gets tired quickly, cannot perform normal physical activities. Such signs are not present constantly, so many are frivolous. Sometimes a person may experience nausea, pain in the upper abdomen, muscles and joints, and stool disorders.
In the later stages, jaundice manifests itself, urine darkens, gums bleed, the liver and spleen increase, and weight decreases.
Since it is very difficult to assess the nature of the disease yourself, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible. And the best way to prevent the disease, both in adults and in children is vaccination.
Hepatitis B vaccine in children
Parents are interested in the question: "How many hepatitis vaccines do a child have?"
A hepatitis B vaccine is given immediately after the birth of the baby, intramuscularly in the shoulder. It is necessary because even at this age, small ones can easily catch the virus. Infection is possible during childbirth from the mother or in close contact with other people.
Hepatitis B vaccine is repeated every month and six months. This scheme allows you to maintain immunity for twenty years.
Adult vaccination
A hepatitis B vaccine is given to adults not older than 55 years of age who have not previously been ill and have not been vaccinated.
If contact with the infection took place or surgery is to be performed with a blood transfusion, vaccination is carried out according to the accelerated scheme. The risk group for hepatitis infection includes health workers, drug addicts, people who have an erratic sex life or are donors. Therefore, these people need to be vaccinated against hepatitis B.
If a previously vaccinated person had contact with the infection, it is necessary to determine the level of protective antibodies in the blood. Based on the obtained indicators, the question of the feasibility of additional vaccination is being decided.
Vaccination regimens
How many hepatitis B vaccines are given and according to what scheme? There are three vaccination regimens:
- Standard (0-1-6) - the second injection is made a month after the first, the third - after six months. This method of vaccination is most effective.
- Accelerated (0-1-2-12) - the second vaccination is done after one month after the first. The third - in two, the fourth - in twelve months. Use this method when the possibility of infection is increased.
- Emergency (0-7-21-12). In this case, the second injection is done seven days after the first, the third - after twenty-one days, the fourth - after a year. This method is used if it is necessary to quickly develop immunity.
An adult hepatitis B vaccine is given at any time, but the vaccination schedule must be followed. If the second injection was missed for any reason, the scheme is restarted. When the third vaccine was missed, vaccination is carried out according to scheme 0-2: two months after the first one, a second injection is made, which will be the end of the course. A single injection provides immunity for a short time.
Side effects
Although a hepatitis B vaccine is considered one of the safest, reactions to some components of the drug may occur.
Side effects include the appearance of swelling, redness, pain at the vaccination site, and fever. Severe complications are very rare. Among them, headache, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, myalgia, arthralgia can be noted.
Contraindications
The vaccine can not be done at elevated temperatures, during the illness. In addition, it must be borne in mind that vaccination can provoke an allergic reaction. Therefore, if a person is allergic to food yeast or other components of the drug, it is necessary to notify the doctor in advance.
Whether to be vaccinated against hepatitis is a private matter for everyone. But do not forget that the earlier the child was vaccinated, the less likely hepatitis is infected, which has a very negative effect on quality and life expectancy.