hepatitis A adult vaccine

Pronunciation:	hep a THE tis VAX een
Brand:	Havrix, Vaqta

What is the most important information I should know about hepatitis A vaccine?

Hepatitis A vaccine will not protect you against infection with hepatitis B, C, and E, or other viruses that affect the liver. It may also not protect you from hepatitis A if you are already infected with the virus, even if you do not yet show symptoms.

Vaccination with hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for all children between the ages of 12 months and 23 months, and in children and adults who travel in certain areas of the world where hepatitis A is a common disease.

Other risk factors for hepatitis include: being a homosexual male; having chronic liver disease; using intravenous (IV) drugs; receiving treatment for hemophilia or other bleeding disorders; working in research laboratories or around animals (especially monkeys) where you may be exposed to the hepatitis A virus; or being in an area where there has been an outbreak of hepatitis A.

You will most likely receive 2 separate injections of the hepatitis A vaccine at 6 months apart, depending on your exposure or risk of infection. Children should receive their first hepatitis A vaccine between 12 months and 23 months of age.

Be sure to receive all doses of the hepatitis A vaccine recommended by your healthcare provider or by the health department of the state you live in. If you do not receive the full series of vaccines, you may not be fully protected against the disease.

Serious side effects from hepatitis A vaccine are very unlikely to occur. Getting hepatitis A virus is a much more dangerous risk to your health than the small chance that you will have a serious side effect from the hepatitis A vaccine.

What is hepatitis A vaccine?

Hepatitis is a serious disease caused by a virus. Hepatitis A is spread through contact with the stool (bowel movements) of a person infection with the hepatitis A virus. This usually occurs by eating food or drinking water that has become contaminated as a result of handling by an infected person.

Hepatitis A infection can cause illness that leads to loss of appetite; diarrhea and vomiting; tiredness; jaundice (yellow skin or eyes); or pain in the muscles, joints, and stomach. It can also cause long-term illness that can lead to liver damage (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and death.

Hepatitis A vaccine exposes you to a small amount of the virus and helps your body develop immunity to the disease.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before receiving hepatitis A vaccine?

You should not receive this vaccine if you have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to hepatitis A vaccine or to neomycin (Mycifradin, Neo-Fradin, Neo-Tab).

Before receiving hepatitis A vaccine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, such as hemophilia;
any condition that weakens the immune system (such as HIV, AIDS, or cancer); or
if you are receiving steroids, chemotherapy, or radiation treatments.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to receive this vaccine, or it may need to be postponed until you are in better health.

You may still receive this vaccine if you have a minor illness such as a cold. If you are severely ill or have a high fever, wait until you are feeling better before receiving the hepatitis A vaccine.

Before receiving the hepatitis A vaccine, tell your doctor if you are pregnant.

It is not known if hepatitis A vaccine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How is hepatitis A vaccine administered?

Hepatitis A vaccine is given as an injection (shot) into a muscle. Your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider will give you this injection.

To prevent hepatitis A while traveling, you should receive this vaccine at least 1 month before your trip. Your healthcare provider will determine the best dosing schedule for your situation.

Your doctor may recommend using a non-aspirin pain reliever to prevent pain or fever that can occur with this vaccination. Over-the-counter pain relievers include acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others). Use this medication when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Use only the dose your doctor recommends.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Contact your doctor if a you will miss a hepatitis A vaccine dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of hepatitis A vaccine is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid before or after getting hepatitis A vaccine?

There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activity before or after receiving this vaccine, unless your doctor has told you otherwise.

What are the possible side effects of hepatitis A vaccine?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Serious side effects from hepatitis A vaccine are very unlikely to occur. Getting hepatitis A is a much more dangerous risk to your health than the small chance that you will have a serious side effect from the hepatitis A vaccine.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

high fever;
fast or uneven heartbeats; or
behavior changes.

Less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:

low fever;
headache;
dizziness, tired feeling;
nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite;
joint pain;
sore throat; or
swelling, redness, or a hard lump where the shot was given.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Contact your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect hepatitis A vaccine?

Hepatitis A vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccinations.

Talk to your doctor before receiving hepatitis A vaccine if you are using any of the following medications that may affect the immune system:

an oral or injected steroid such as betamethasone (Celestone), cortisone (Cortone), dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexone), hydrocortisone (Cortef, Hydrocortone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisolone (Prelone, Pediapred), prednisone (Orasone, Deltasone), or triamcinolone (Aristocort);
an inhaled or nasal steroid such as beclomethasone (Qvar, Beclovent, Beconase, Vanceril, Vancenase), budesonide (Pulmicort, Rhinocort), flunisolide (Aerobid, Nasalide, Nasarel), fluticasone (Flovent, Flonase), mometasone (Nasonex), or triamcinolone (Azmacort, Nasacort);
cancer chemotherapy, radiation, or x-rays;
azathioprine (Imuran);
basiliximab (Simulect);
cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf);
etanercept (Enbrel);
leflunomide (Arava);
muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone);
mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept);
sirolimus (Rapamune); or
tacrolimus (Prograf).

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect hepatitis A vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist may have information about this vaccine written for health professionals that you may read. You may also find additional information from your local health department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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Copyright 1996-2003 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.03. Revision date: 04/25/2007.

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