Havrix® (
hepatitis A vaccine) is one of a few different vaccines available to provide protection against
hepatitis A. It is approved for use in children age 12 months and older, teens, and adults. Specifically, hepatitis A vaccines, including Havrix, are recommended for people in the following groups:
- All children between 12 and 24 months of age
- Individuals 12 months of age or older who will be traveling to countries with a high or intermediate risk of hepatitis A
- Children and adolescents through 18 years of age in states where routine hepatitis A vaccination is recommended (due to a high risk for the disease)
- Adults who are at an increased risk for hepatitis A infection or for complications from the disease, including but not limited to:
- Men who have sex with men
- People who use street drugs
- People with chronic liver disease
- People being treated with clotting factor concentrates
- Laboratory workers in hepatitis A research facilities.
Hepatitis A is quite contagious and is most commonly spread by eating or drinking something (or putting something in your mouth, such as a utensil) that has been contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A. This is called "fecal-oral" transmission.
Although
hepatitis A symptoms are usually insignificant, causing mild flu-like symptoms, serious complications are possible. About 3 to 5 out of every 1,000 cases of hepatitis A result in death.
