Aishwarya Vaidya
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Written By: Aishwarya Vaidya | Updated : April 24, 2018 4:54 PM IST
Hepatitis A is a serious disease of the liver that can cause death. "Hepatitis A vaccine is not suggested for all adults. People travelling or working in developing countries are at high rate of infection, explains Dr Roy Patankar, leading Gastroenterologist and Director of Zen Hospital.
Hepatitis A vaccine is used to prevent hepatitis A - a type of liver disease that is caused by the hepatitis A virus. The vaccine works by stimulating the body to produce antibodies, which are proteins that will fight and kill the virus and prevent hepatitis A infection, says Dr Patankar.
Read: 5 common myths about hepatitis busted
Vaccine schedule: The vaccine is recommended for children of about 12 23 months old, followed by a second dose 6 18 months later. The HAV vaccine is also recommended for older kids and adults who are at high risk for the disease.
Safety and side-effects: There are no serious side-effects. But, one can experience low grade fever, headache, dizziness, tired feeling, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, joint pain, sore throat; or swelling, redness, or a hard lump.
Dos: In case of fever that develops post vaccination, it is advised to keep the patient as cool as possible and avoid layers of clothing and blankets and stay hydrated. It is important to follow a healthy diet for a few weeks prior to the scheduled vaccination. Children should avoid processed food and refined sugar before receiving the vaccination. Do space out the vaccines and keep the vaccines apart from each other as much as possible.
Read:Measles vaccine, BCG vaccine and other common vaccines you need to know about
Don t: Vaccinate infants and children when they are sick. It is advised to avoid live vaccination when the immune system is weak. Do not take analgesics or fever reducer before taking the vaccination as this may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine.
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