HEPATITIS A VACCINE

Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus. The virus is spread by close personal contact and sometimes by eating food or drinking water contaminated by the virus.  It is found in the stool of people with the disease.  It can cause “flu-like” symptoms, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes), abdominal pain and diarrhea. It is quite contagious within households.

There is a vaccine for this virus, which has been given to people traveling to certain countries. There are now some newer recommendations for this vaccine from the AAP.  It is now recommended that the following people should routinely receive the vaccine:

• Children age 12 months- 23 months
• People 1 year and up traveling to high risk countries (see the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/travel)
• Children and adolescents in states where it is law to have the vaccine because of higher incidence of disease or if there is an outbreak of Hepatitis A.
• At entrance to college, if has not been given before.
  

The vaccine is given as 2 doses at least 6 months apart.



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