Hepatitis B vaccine for adults - when and how many times

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Most vaccinations against deadly diseases, including hepatitis B, are given in childhood according to the calendar approved by the Ministry of Health. In adults, there are much fewer compulsory vaccinations, which can lead to infection. Therefore, it is important to know how many times and when adults are vaccinated against hepatitis B.

About the disease

Hepatitis B is one of the most dangerous and common viral diseases that destroys liver cells. To protect yourself from infection, you need to get vaccinated. First you need to find out when adults are vaccinated against hepatitis B, how many times, what are the indications and contraindications.

This infectious liver disease can be subtle or symptomatic. The virus is found in almost all physiological fluids:

• saliva;
• urine;
• blood;
• semen.

If any of them gets on an open wound of a healthy person, infection is highly likely to occur.

One of the main dangers of this disease is a large number of possible routes of infection:

• pregnancy - from mother to child;
• kiss;
• sexual intercourse;
• common personal hygiene items with the patient;
• tattooing;
• addiction;
• procedures in beauty salons;
• treatment in dental offices;
• surgical operations.

The disease begins with an acute form, and in the absence of timely treatment turns into a chronic one.

The first signs of hepatitis B:

• nausea;
• loss of appetite;
• weakness;
• general malaise.

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With the development of the disease, the following symptoms appear:

• heaviness in the stomach, especially after eating;
• yellowness of the skin;
• intense pain in the right hypochondrium.

In advanced cases, the patient also has the following signs:

• lowering blood pressure;
• increased body temperature;
• bruises all over the body;
• whitening of feces;
• darkening of urine.

There are cases when a person was infected with hepatitis B during donation of blood due to the use of reusable syringes.

Why is hepatitis B vaccine needed?

Hepatitis B is dangerous with serious complications (cancer, liver cirrhosis), which, in turn, can cause death. Children who fall ill at an early age, if not treated, suffer from the disease all their lives.

Vaccination against hepatitis B virus helps build long-term immune memory, which helps protect against infection even if no antibodies are detected during the test.

The formation of herd immunity, which vaccination helps to achieve, significantly reduces the likelihood of the spread of the disease. In addition, over time, it can lead to a complete cure for hepatitis B in humans.

How many times and when adults are vaccinated against hepatitis B

The hepatitis B vaccine for adults is injected into the brachialis muscle. For each of the drugs used, a separate administration scheme has been developed, its own validity period has been set.

Vaccination against hepatitis B in an adult is carried out according to the following scheme:

• 0 - the first injection of the drug;
• 1 - the second exactly 30 days later;
• 6 - final - 5 months after the second vaccination.

Vaccination against hepatitis is done only until a person reaches 55 years of age. In total, an adult needs to be vaccinated three times in his entire life, starting from infancy.

Health care workers are vaccinated against hepatitis B more often than other citizens, because they are at risk. They need to be vaccinated once every 5 years.

Contraindications and side effects

Like any type of vaccination, the hepatitis B vaccine has a number of contraindications. The absolute ones include:

• meningitis;
• the presence of the hepatitis virus in the body;
• in children - prematurity (less than 2 kg);
• recovery period after chemotherapy;
• AIDS;
• oncological diseases;
• allergy to baker's yeast.

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Acute respiratory diseases and a period of exacerbation of chronic diseases become temporary contraindications.

Hepatitis B vaccines have virtually no side effects. In rare cases, there are short-term reactions at the injection site: swelling, slight redness, soreness.

Types of vaccines

Currently, there are a large number of hepatitis B vaccines, both domestic and foreign. They are produced in children's dosage in ampoules of 0.5 ml and in an adult - 1 ml.

The composition of all drugs is approximately the same. They contain the following active and auxiliary substances:

• preservatives;
• aluminum hydroxide;
• yeast impurities;
• surface viral protein.

The following types of vaccines are most common in Russia:

• "Gene Vac-V";
• "Angerix";
• Eberbiovac-NV;
• "Biovac-V";
• "Kombiotech";
• Microgen.

There are also combination drugs that allow you to be vaccinated against several diseases at once. For example, from hepatitis A and B or tetanus, diphtheria and hepatitis B.

Outcomes

Hepatitis B is dangerous because it can be secretive for a long time. In this case, liver cells are rapidly destroyed, and a person becomes very dangerous to others. To avoid this, you should get vaccinated. It is important to know how many times and when adults are vaccinated against hepatitis B.