Markethealthbeauty.com – The administration of hepatitis A vaccine can reduce a person’s risk of being infected with hepatitis A virus. The way it works is to make the immune system recognize this virus, so that when the virus attacks, the body can directly fight it.
Hepatitis A (HAV) is an inflammation of the liver organs caused by hepatitis A virus infection. Transmission of hepatitis A is through fecal-oral, i.e. The virus enters through the mouth through food or beverages that have been contaminated with the feces of the sufferer.
The disease can be prevented in several ways. One of them is by administering hepatitis A vaccine, which will stimulate the body’s immune system to produce antibodies against hepatitis A virus. The vaccine contains the deactivated hepatitis A virus, and its administration is done by injecting it into the upper arm muscles.
What is Hepatitis A Vaccine?
Hepatitis A vaccine is a type of vaccine that serves to prevent hepatitis A virus infection. The virus can cause inflammation of liver organs known as hepatitis A.
The severity of hepatitis A varies. From mild and asymptomatic to cause kidney failure and death.
Hepatitis A virus can spread if a person eats something that has been contaminated by this virus. For example, from the feces of a person who has been infected with hepatitis A. This usually occurs when the infected person does not wash his hands properly.
The hepatitis A vaccine contains the dead (inactive) hepatitis A virus. When the vaccine is injected into the blood vessels, the body will produce antibodies to the virus.
Antibodies are proteins that can attack and kill viruses, so hepatitis A disease can be prevented.
Hepatitis A Vaccine Benefits
There are five types of hepatitis diseases, namely A, hepatitis B, C, D, and E. Rather than hepatitis B and C, hepatitis A is relatively not life-threatening for sufferers. But still need control so that there is no outbreak that can harm community socially or economically. Immunization of children is useful as a control effort in addition to clean living behavior.
Because the child does not have an adequate immune system, the risk of contracting hepatitis A virus is greater. Through immunization of children using hepatitis A vaccine, the risk of transmission to older persons will be reduced.
Children can also be protected from viral infections, so as to prevent the emergence of economic burdens in the family that can occur if the child has to undergo hospital treatment due to contracting hepatitis A.
Who Should Get Hepatitis A Vaccine?
The hepatitis A vaccine is given twice an injection with a period of 6–12 months. Here is the group of people recommended to do these vaccinations:
Toddler
The vaccine is recommended to be administered after the child is 2 years old in 2 doses. The first dose is administered after the child is 2 years old, and the second dose is administered 6–12 months after the first dose is administered.
Travelers Who Will Visit Certain Countries
For those of you tourists who want to travel to a country with a high case of hepatitis A, then the hepatitis A vaccine is also very important for you to get. You should get the first dose of the vaccine as soon as possible before traveling. For added protection, older persons with immunity disorders or chronic liver disease can also get immunoglobulin injections.
People Prone with Hepatitis A
In addition, other groups of people who are also considered to be given hepatitis A vaccine injections are those who are susceptible to HAV infection, including chronic liver disease sufferers, same-se**x men, and drug users. People with diseases that can lower the immune system and blood system also need this vaccine.
Certain jobs can also increase a person’s risk of developing hepatitis A, such as keepers or carers of animals affected by HAV infection, scientists working in laboratories that research hepatitis A, medical personnel, and those who have to work in unhygienic areas.
Source:
- Image: Whispyhistory, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- Video: HenryFordTV