Hepatitis A Vaccine

The disease

Hepatitis A is an inflammation caused by the Hepatitis A virus that attacks the liver. The disease is transmitted through contaminated food and water and from person to person. The symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, stomachache, headache, nausea, vomiting and jaundice.

Children usually develop mild or no symptoms. In some patients, recovery can last several months, and in rare and severe cases, the disease can lead to acute liver failure that necessitates a liver transplant.

The influence of the vaccine in Israel: before 1999, when the vaccine became part of routine vaccinations, there were 2,500 to 4,000 reported cases per year. Since then, there has been a significant reduction in morbidity and currently, the number of cases is less than 100 annually.

Vaccine completion: if your child is in school age and has not been given a hepatitis A vaccine, which is included in the birth to 18 years immunization schedule, you can contact the school nurse to schedule the vaccine completion. In addition, the health staff of the school will inform you of complementary vaccines your child needs and help you schedule them with your consent.

More on the immunization completion

• Redness, pain and swelling at the injection site: you can apply a clean cloth soaked in lukewarm water to the injection site and avoid massaging the area.
• Fever: you can administer an analgesic to help relieve pain and reduce fever.
• Rare symptoms: fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhea. Adults also reported headaches, sore muscles and joints, nausea and vomiting. You can administer an analgesic to help relieve pain and reduce fever.