World Hepatitis Day: Who should get vaccinated?

Read to know who is at risk and who must take the vaccine without fail.

Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated: July 31, 2017 8:30 am

July 28th is observed as World Hepatitis Day every year. The theme for 2017 is “Eliminate Hepatitis.”

According to WHO, viral hepatitis caused 1.34 million deaths in 2015 which is comparable with TB deaths and HIV deaths. In India, every 12th person is either HBV or HCV positive and most people who need treatment have not been treated, largely due to a lack of awareness and access to hepatitis diagnosis and treatment. Over 90% of people with hepatitis C can be completely treated within 3-6 months. Appropriate treatment of hepatitis B and C can prevent the development of the major life-threatening complications of chronic liver disease – cirrhosis and liver cancer. And one such effective way to prevent hepatitis is vaccination. However, the common concern is who should get vaccinated? Dr Gourdas Choudhuri, Director & HOD, Gastroenterology & Hepatobiliary Sciences, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon answers the query. Also read about 13 causes of hepatitis you didn’t know about

Hepatitis: Who should get vaccinated?

As a rule, all children and adolescents younger than 18-years-old and not previously vaccinated should receive the vaccine if they live in countries where there is low or intermediate endemicity. In addition to this, here is a list of people who should get the vaccination for hepatitis.

1. People who frequently require blood or blood products, dialysis patients, recipients of solid organ transplantations; people interned in prisons.
2. People who inject drugs.
3. People with multiple sexual partners.
4. Healthcare workers and others who may be exposed to blood and blood products through their work.
5. Travellers who have not completed their hepatitis B vaccination series, who should be offered the vaccine before leaving for endemic areas.

Moreover, people who are at an increased risk of chronic liver disease should also get vaccinated. Wondering if hepatitis vaccinations really work? Read this!

Who is at the risk of chronic disease?

The chronic nature of the disease depends on the age the disease infects a person. Children less than 6 years of age who become infected with the hepatitis B virus are the most likely to develop chronic infections; 80–90% of infants infected during the first year of life develop chronic infections and 30–50% of children infected before the age of 6 years develop chronic infections. Less than 5% of otherwise healthy persons who are infected as adults will develop chronic infection and 20–30% of adults who are chronically infected will develop cirrhosis and or liver cancer. Here are 9 reasons why adults also need vaccination.

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Read this in Marathi

Published: July 27, 2017 5:41 pm | Updated:July 31, 2017 8:30 am

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