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Hepatitis B virus can cause both acute and chronic illness. Hepatitis B is spread through contact with the blood and bodily fluids of an infected individual.
Transmission can occur in several ways such as: having unprotected sex with an infected person, sharing needles when injecting illegal drugs, being stuck with a used needle from an infected person and during birth when the virus passes from an infected mother to her child.
Infected individuals with Hepatitis B virus can cause illness that leads to:
Acute
Chronic
- Cirrhosis (liver damage)
- Liver Cancer
- Death
Who should receive the vaccine?
Everyone should recieve the vaccine adults over 18 years old who are at greater risk include:
- People who have more than one sex partner in 6 months
- Homosexual Males
- Sex contacts of infected people
- People who inject illegal people
- Health care and public safety workers who might be exposed to infected blood and body fluids
- Households contacts of person with chronic Hepatitis B infection
- Hemodialysis patient
Who should not recieve the vaccine?
People should not get Hepatitis B vaccine if they have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to yeast components of a vaccine or allergies to previous does of the Hepatitis B vaccine.
Moderately or severely ill individuals should wait till they are well before receiving Hepatitis B vaccine.
What are the benefits of getting vaccinated?
Benefits of Hepatitis B vaccination are decreased susceptibilty to the devastating infection that can lead to cirrhosis. Liver cancer and liver disease, and decreased severity of illness for those infected.
What are the Risks of getting vaccinated?
The risks of Hepatitis B vaccine causing serious harm, or death sre extremely small. Mild problems include local pain and redness at injection site, mild-brief fever episode. Severe problems include rare allergic reactions.
Description of the Vaccine:
The Hepatitis B vaccine is a highly purified, non - infectious particle of Hepatitis B surface antigen. It is a recombinant DNA hepatitis B vaccine marketed and manufactured by the leading vaccine manufacturer in the world-Sanofi Pasteur. It is administered via intramuscular injection. Vaccination is recommended in the prevention of infection caused by Hepatitis B virus in children and in adults.
About Immunizers:
Immunizers is a wellness group whose mission is to provide protection for the general populations against preventable diseases through vaccination.
Our One-Step-Ahead approach includes increasing awareness and understanding of the benefits of immunization individuals and communities.
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