Navajo County Public Health Services
Nursing Services
Hepatitus A Vaccine
Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV
is found in the stool of persons with hepatitis A. It is usually spread by close
personal contact and sometimes by eating food or drinking water containing HAV.
Hepatitis A Can Cause
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mild “flu-like” illness
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jaundice (yellow skin or eyes)
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severe stomach pains and diarrhea
People with hepatitis A infection often have to be hospitalized. In rare cases hepatitis
A causes death.
A person who has hepatitis A can easily pass the disease to others within the same
household.
Who should get Hepatitis A vaccine and when
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Persons 2 years of age and older traveling or working in countries with high rates
of Hepatitis A, such as those located in Central or South America, the Caribbean,
Mexico, Asia (except Japan), Africa, and southern or eastern Europe. The vaccine
series should be started at least one month before traveling.
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Persons who live in communities that have prolonged outbreaks of Hepatitis A.
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Persons who live in communities with high rates of Hepatitis A, for example: American
Indian, Alaskan Native, and Pacific Islander communities and some religious communities.
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Men who have sex with men.
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Persons who use street drugs.
Two doses of the vacine, given at least 6 months apart, are needed for lasting protection.
For more information, visit your local health department or Center for Disease Control
and Prevention, Arizona Department of Health.
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