Vaccination against hepatitis B: why, how and why?
Despite the controversy surrounding vaccination, it should still be given proper preference. After all, thanks to vaccinations, medicine can reduce the incidence of various serious infectious diseases, including hepatitis. Most vaccinations are mandatory, and the first of them are made to newly-born babies already in the hospital. Vaccination against hepatitis B is one of them, which is made for all newborns, in the absence of contraindications, in the first day after their birth.
Basic information
Hepatitis B is an infectious viral disease in which liver damage occurs. The course of the disease is mainly in moderate or severe forms. A child under one year with hepatitis B disease has a very high risk of death. He is also dangerous because he leaves behind a whole set of chronic ailments, and cases of the transition of this disease to cirrhosis and liver cancer are not rare.
Viral infection is transmitted:
- naturally from mother to fetus or sexually;
- parenterally, that is, all manipulations associated with damage to the integrity of the skin or mucous membranes( any surgical interventions, such as blood transfusion, dental treatment or a nail salon visit, are highly likely to become infected.)
As is known, according to the World Health Organization( WHO)Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than AIDS.Around the world, almost 2 billion people are infected with this resistant to the physical and chemical effects of the virus. This causes its rapid spread
Therefore, due to the rapid spread of this disease, the World Organization has recommended that all countries include mandatory vaccination against hepatitis in vaccination calendars. In most of the world today, vaccination against hepatitis B is mandatory, only vaccination plans may differ.from hepatitis B
For preventive purposes, plasma and recombinant vaccines are used for hepatitis B vaccinations. The second vaccine contains an antigen obtained with the help of DNA technology. These drugs are more effective and are used in most countries.
Vaccines are most commonly used: Angeriks B, Infanriks, Euvaks and their analogues. The main vaccine manufacturers: Russia, France, Belgium. The most commonly used are the monovalent Engjerix B and the hexavalent Infanrix Hex.
Vaccination schedule
In the absence of contraindications, the inoculation is done:
- in the first 12 hours of a child's life;
- re-inoculation - 1 month after the first vaccination;
- and 6 months after the first vaccination.
This vaccination scheme gives a person immunity from hepatitis B to 95%.
As for children whose mothers are carriers of this disease, immunoglobulin is required in addition to vaccination. Such children should be revaccinated two months later and one year after the first vaccination.
For babies of premature babies, the hepatitis B vaccination plan is made individually and for the first time you can get an inoculation against hepatitis in not earlier than a month after birth.
As such, there are no permanent contraindications to this vaccination.
Contraindications
- infectious diseases in acute period;
- decompensated forms of diseases of the lungs and cardiovascular systems.
As yeast fungi are used in the manufacture of the vaccine, the main contraindication for vaccination is the allergy to bread or yeast. In fact, vaccination at an early age is justified and relatively safe.
Side effects of
Like any other vaccine, vaccination against hepatitis B can cause local reactions. It can be redness at the injection site, fever, swelling. Everything passes after a day or two. Severe reactions could be observed in very rare cases.
Doctors do not associate vaccination against hepatitis B with the appearance of jaundice in newborns. But when deciding on vaccination, it should be noted that the risk from vaccination is and it is negligible in comparison with the risk of infection with hepatitis in - an almost incurable disease.
Where is hepatitis vaccinated?
The hepatitis B vaccine is injected into the muscle in an injection. It can not be subcutaneously vaccinated against hepatitis, as this significantly reduces its effectiveness and sometimes leads to densification. For example, in the US mistakenly injected under the skin vaccine is considered ineffective, so it is canceled. After a period of time, the injection is repeated. This is due to the fact that only when injected into muscle tissue the dose completely enters the blood, causing an immune response of proper strength.
Usually children under 3 years of age, including newborns, are inoculated into the thigh. The elderly patients are given a vaccine in the shoulder. Such a choice of place for injection is due to the fact that the hips and shoulders of the muscles are well developed, and are located close to the skin. It is not necessary to inoculate into the buttocks, since the subcutaneous layer is well developed, and the muscle lies deep, so getting it is more difficult. In addition, an injection in the buttocks is accompanied by a risk of damage to the nerves and blood vessels.
The vaccine is a reliable protective mechanism against hepatitis B infection. Three-fold introduction of this method leads to the appearance in the body of specific antibodies that prevent the development of hepatitis in 98% of the vaccinated. And immunity persists for at least 8-10 years, but sometimes it remains for life.