expatriates and long-term visitors to developing countries.In addition, SA Health recommends combined hepatitis A/hepatitis B vaccine for: people chronically infected with either hepatitis B or hepatitis C viruses.those whose lifestyle may put them at risk of acquiring hepatitis A (injecting drug users and men who have sex with men). those whose occupation may put them at risk of acquiring hepatitis A (those living and working in rural and remote indigenous communities, child day care and preschool personnel, carers of people with intellectual disabilities, health care workers who regularly provide care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, plumbers or sewage workers, and sex workers).Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children residing in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.travellers to areas where hepatitis A is common.SA Health also recommends hepatitis A vaccination for: The hepatitis A vaccine provides protection against hepatitis A infection within two weeks of administration and long-term protection (longer than 10 years) if a booster dose is administered.Under certain circumstances vaccine (or immunoglobulin) may be offered to staff and children at child care facilities.If a person with hepatitis A is a food handler by occupation, vaccine (or immunoglobulin if in one of the groups for whom vaccine is not recommended) should be administered to the other food handlers employed in the same establishment.If given within two weeks after exposure, vaccine or immunoglobulin will prevent or decrease the severity of symptoms of hepatitis A.Ĭontacts (including those given vaccine or immunoglobulin) may remain infectious to others even if they do not develop symptoms themselves and should therefore continue to follow good personal hygiene practices. Immunoglobulin is a solution containing human antibodies, made from blood products. If contacts are under one year of age, have suppressed immune systems, have chronic liver disease or for whom vaccine is contraindicated, normal human immunoglobulin can be offered. Hepatitis A vaccine is offered to non-immune household and/or sexual contacts of all cases of hepatitis A who have had contact during the two weeks before, until one week after the onset of jaundice. In South Australia, the SA Health website states that: Vaccination is recommended for people with other chronic liver diseases. However, there is currently no vaccine licensed for use for children under one year old. There are several vaccines available for hepatitis A and these are effective in preventing infection. Improved personal hygiene practices such as proper hand washing before food preparation is important in situations where proper sanitation and clean water supplies are scarce. Improved sanitation, safe water supplies, food safety and immunisation are key to preventing hepatitis A. People who have been infected by hepatitis A become immune to the virus. Hepatitis A can also be transmitted through close physical contact with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus. Regions with poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water are more likely to experience hepatitis A epidemics. The hepatitis A virus is spread when an uninfected (and unvaccinated) person consumes food or water that is contaminated with the faeces of an infected person.
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