What are the risks Involved with Hepatitis B Vaccine?
Hepatitis B vaccine is very safe vaccine and majority of recipients of this vaccine do not have any problem. The vaccine is manufactured by recombinant DNA technology, which uses non infectious particles from the virus and it can not transmit hepatitis B infection. Although the hepatitis B vaccine is safe, like any other drug it may have some side effects or problems which are generally mild in nature.
Mild problems with hepatitis B vaccine:
Mild problems hepatitis B vaccine may cause include fever or 100 degree Fahrenheit or more (which occurs in approximately 1 in 15 recipients) and soreness at the site of injection (which occurs in approximately 1 in 4 recipients).
Categories: Diseases Tags: hepatitis B vaccine
Prevention of Hepatitis B and Few Questions About Hepatitis B Vaccine
Hepatitis B infection can be effectively prevented by vaccination, which can prevent the disease for long duration and probably lifelong. Vaccination can prevent serious consequences of hepatitis B infection such as liver cancer and liver cirrhosis. The hepatitis B vaccine is safe and can be administered along with other routine vaccines. Currently several hepatitis B vaccines are available commercially, which area given intramuscularly.
Currently in many countries hepatitis B vaccination is recommended routinely to all infants, which has resulted in reduction of hepatitis B infection by more than 95%, where it is implemented. Among adults hepatitis B vaccine is recommended among high risk individuals.
Categories: Diseases Tags: hepatitis B vaccine
Treatment and Prognosis of Hepatitis B Infection
Hepatitis B is fairly common infection in many parts of the world. Unfortunately no effective antiviral antibiotic is available for treatment of hepatitis B infection and treatment is mostly based on symptomatic measures. In majority of adult’s acute hepatitis B infection usually do not need any treatment, because in most adults acute hepatitis B infection is cleared spontaneously. Only in rare cases (less than 1% of hepatitis B infections), early initiation of antiviral antibiotics may be warranted, if the patient is immunocompromized or in case the hepatitis B infection takes aggressive course known as fulminant hepatitis.
In case of chronic hepatitis B infection, most patients require treatment for reducing the risk of liver cancer development in later years and for preventing cirrhosis. Persistent elevated levels of Alanine aminotransferase, a marker of chronic hepatitis B infection and elevated HBV (hepatitis B virus) DNA levels indicate need to appropriate treatment, which lasts for 6 months to one year.
Categories: Diseases Tags: Hepatitis B, hepatocellular carcinoma
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Hepatitis B Infection
Hepatitis B infection is caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV), which is a serious infection of liver and fairly common infection in many parts of the world. The main danger of hepatitis B infection lies in the fact that, infection with hepatitis B virus can cause liver cancer or cirrhosis of liver, which may be several years after initial infection.
What are the symptoms of hepatitis B virus infection?
The symptoms of hepatitis B infection may be acute and chronic. Acute or short term hepatitis B infection may cause jaundice (yellow discoloration of eyes and skin), loss of appetites, diarrhea and vomiting, generalized weakness and tiredness. Acute symptoms also include pain in stomach, joints and muscles. The acute symptoms of hepatitis B infection are mainly seen among adults and may not be seen among children.
Chronic hepatitis B infection, may not have any symptoms, but may lead to death due to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer (known as hepatocellular carcinoma). Although chronic hepatitis B infection may have very few symptoms (if at all), it can spread the infection to others, by becoming chronic carriers. Chronic hepatitis B infection is more common in children in compare to adults.
Categories: Diseases Tags: Cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma
How Common is Hepatitis B Infection and How it is Transmitted?
Hepatitis B infection is infectious disease of liver caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B was known previously as serum hepatitis. It is endemic in parts of Asia (including China) and Africa. According WHO estimate every year more than half a million people die due to hepatitis B virus infection.
How common is hepatitis B infection?
It is estimated that approximately one third of world population has been infected at some point of their life. Out of these approximately 350 million have become chronic carriers and act as reservoir of infection of hepatitis B. The prevalence rate of hepatitis B infection varies from country to country and in the same country it varies from region to region. The prevalence rate is as high as 10% or more in some parts of Asia and low of approximately 0.5% in United States and Europe.
Categories: Diseases Tags: HBeAg, HBsAg, HBV, Hepatitis B
What are the Possible Risks of Hepatitis A Vaccine?
Hepatitis A vaccine is very safe vaccine and the risk of serious harm from it is extremely rare and small. But hepatitis A vaccine does have some potentially serious risks (although very rare) like any other medication, such as allergic reaction to any of the components of the vaccine. But one thing is for sure; it is safer to get the vaccine than the disease, i.e. hepatitis. The risks (or complications) from hepatitis A vaccine may be mild or may be severe.
What should you do, if there is reaction to hepatitis A vaccine?
Signs of allergic reaction (to anything including hepatitis A vaccine) are difficulty in breathing, rapid heart beat, hoarseness of voice, wheezing, hives etc. If you notice any of the symptoms after receiving hepatitis A vaccine, call a doctor immediately or take the person to nearby healthcare facility immediately.
Categories: Diseases Tags: anaphylactic shock, Hepatitis A Vaccine
