Where do newborns get vaccinated against hepatitis? Vaccination of children against hepatitis B: complications and negative consequences

More and more parents are signing waivers of vaccinations, citing the unstable immune system of their children. Doctors have an extremely negative attitude towards such decisions. Is hepatitis B vaccination important for children? Or is early vaccination not necessary? Are there any contraindications? What reaction is possible to the manipulation?

The symptoms will go away without consequences for the baby’s health in two days. However, more often after vaccination, young patients feel satisfactory. Parents do not need to worry if the baby sleeps longer after the procedure. Vaccination is stressful for a small organism.

Vaccination schedule

The usual infection scheme involves three vaccinations according to the formula 0 – 1 – 6:

The first injection is given in the first 12 hours of life.
30 days separate the second vaccination from the first.
The next revaccination is required only six months after the first injection.

If it happens that it is not possible to protect a newborn from hepatitis vaccination strictly according to schedule (illness, lack of vaccine in the clinic), the gap between injections will increase, but this will not affect the effectiveness of the drugs. The main thing is that the interval is more than a month, but less than three, otherwise repeated vaccination will be required.

First vaccination in the maternity hospital

Two schedules for the introduction of preventive vaccinations against hepatitis have been developed: for children with an increased risk of infection and for all other children. Children are at risk if:

mother is a carrier of the hepatitis virus;
the child’s mother fell ill in the second or third trimester of pregnancy;
during pregnancy, the expectant mother was not examined for the presence of hepatitis B virus in the blood;
parents use drugs;
there are sick people or carriers of the virus among relatives.

Children who are at risk of infection are vaccinated according to the 0-1-2-12 scheme:

The 1st vaccine is administered by a nurse within 12 hours after birth;
the second vaccination is administered when the child is one month old;
The 3rd vaccination is needed 30 days after the second vaccine at 2 months;
The fourth vaccination is carried out when the child turns 1 year old.

Young mothers refuse vaccinations in the maternity hospital due to the yellowness of the baby’s skin. This is wrong. Physiological jaundice of newborns does not become a contraindication to vaccination, since it is not associated with liver pathology, but directly depends on the amount of bilirubin in the blood.

Contraindications

When referring a child to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, the pediatrician examines the patient, identifying contraindications to vaccination:

skin disease - diathesis. The vaccination is given after the necessary treatment of the rash;
colds (for example, acute respiratory infections). Vaccination is permitted after recovery;
severe reaction to a previous vaccine;
meningitis. The vaccine is given only six months after recovery;
vaccination against hepatitis B for newborns is postponed until normalization if the baby’s weight is less than 2 kg;
autoimmune diseases;
exacerbation of chronic diseases. Injection is possible after normalization of the condition;
allergy to baked goods in a child or mother;
signs of immunodeficiency in a child.

Despite the fact that doctors are confident in the need for vaccination, given living conditions and the number of sick people and carriers, parents have the right to refuse the injection.

Parents should be informed about contraindications to vaccination.

Vaccines

Genetic engineering has made it possible to create safe and effective recombinant vaccines that help develop lasting immunity to the hepatitis B virus. Vaccines used in Russia:

“Regevac B” is a vaccine specially created against the ayw type of virus, common in the Russian Federation;
"Eberbiovak", manufacturer Cuba;
Belgian analogue "Engerix";
drug from the American manufacturer H-B-Vax II;
Indian drug "Biovac".

Combined products from Russian manufacturers are used much less frequently:

the vaccine against hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria is called “Bubo-M”;
The vaccine against hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough is called “Bubo-Kok”.

For those who want to protect children from hepatitis A and B, there is an imported vaccine from Smith Kline.

Where is the vaccine administered?

Hepatitis B vaccination is given by injection into a muscle. Subcutaneous administration does not guarantee the effectiveness of the drug and leads to hardening of the injection site. Only intramuscular administration of the drug ensures that it enters the blood in full, which gives the necessary immune effect.

For newborns and children under three years of age, it is more convenient to place the vaccine in the thigh, since the muscle is located closer to the skin. Older children are given an injection in the shoulder. The muscle in this place is considered developed. The vaccine dose goes directly into the blood.

The vaccine is not injected into the gluteal muscle, which lies too far back. There is a high probability of the drug getting into the subcutaneous fat layer, which provokes redness and thickening at the injection site. The risk of damage to nerves and blood vessels increases. The compaction is caused by an inflammatory process and takes a long time to resolve, up to a month.

Newborns are vaccinated in the hip area

Memo for parents

Before vaccination, visit your doctor, who will give you a referral for a general blood and urine test. If the results are poor, the vaccine is not given. Immediately before vaccination, the doctor conducts a series of examinations:

measuring body temperature;
listening to the lungs and heart;
visual examination of the throat, lymph nodes;
detection of redness and rashes on the baby’s body.

During a medical examination, voice complaints about the child’s condition, even if it seems to you that the reason is insignificant, for example, short-term abdominal pain. Only a doctor will assess how safe the vaccination is for the baby’s health. The pediatrician will decide whether vaccination should be delayed for a day or two.

Three days before vaccination, it is not recommended to visit retail outlets, theaters, cinemas, children's centers, and swimming pools. It is recommended not to send your child to kindergarten. After suffering an acute viral illness, it takes time to restore weakened immunity. Infants should not be introduced to a new product a week before and after vaccination. An allergic response to complementary foods will not give a real picture of the child’s body’s reaction to the vaccine.

After vaccination

Parents ask if they can bathe their child immediately after vaccination. You need to wash: dirt and sweat cause itching at the injection site, but you should not rub with a sponge or towel. Canceling your baby’s usual activities can affect his emotional state.

Are walks allowed after vaccination? Walking in the fresh air is useful, and vaccination will not be a contraindication. Choose clothes carefully for the weather. On a cold, rainy day, it's better to stay home. It is extremely undesirable to get sick after the injection.

After the procedure, you need to remain under the supervision of medical professionals for 15 to 30 minutes. In case of side effects, first aid will be provided at the clinic. If the reaction occurs on the way home, emergency assistance will not be provided.

Formation of compaction

Is there a lump at the injection site? This happened due to the drug entering the subcutaneous fat layer, and not into the muscle. Part of the vaccine did not enter the blood, but was deposited in the form of a dense nodule under the skin. Do not be afraid of possible inflammatory reactions that are associated with the presence of a foreign substance. After the drug is completely absorbed into the blood, the nodule will disappear.

The redness goes away within a few days, the seal remains on the skin much longer. If you experience any discomfort in the injection area, it is recommended to consult a doctor. The pediatrician will prescribe an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory drug. You cannot massage the injection site.

If a lump has formed, you need to contact your pediatrician again, since the vaccination was done incorrectly and the necessary immunity has not been formed. You need to get vaccinated again.

Cost of vaccination

Hepatitis vaccination in children is well tolerated regardless of the country and manufacturer. Feedback from parents speaks to this. Even despite some side effects, the main thing is protection against the widespread hepatitis B virus. Imported drugs are trusted more often than domestic ones.

In city clinics, children are vaccinated free of charge, based on the schedule approved by the Ministry of Health. The nurse enters the name of the drug into the special certificate. If parents want to give their child a vaccine from another manufacturer, this will be done at specialized immunization centers. The main thing is that children’s health is taken care of by competent health workers in compliance with hygienic standards. Before the procedure, of course, you need to consult a doctor.

Resume

The health of children depends on parents. Refusal from preventive vaccinations is determined only by the presence of contraindications. In other cases, the child must be vaccinated against hepatitis B. Prevention with improved drugs reduces the risk of contracting a severe infection to a minimum. If parents are afraid of possible side effects, then consultation with a pediatrician will dispel doubts. In modern living conditions, children are not immune from contact with the hepatitis B virus. Vaccination, carried out according to the schedule and recommendations of the pediatrician, will help protect them.

Vaccination of children begins at birth. The first vaccination against hepatitis for newborns is done in the maternity hospital. But why do you need to inject the drug so early? Is this safe for the baby? These and many other questions worry parents. We will discuss with our readers what features the hepatitis vaccination for newborns has and how necessary it is.

Attention, danger!

Hepatitis B can become infected not only after one year, but also in newborn children. The virus affects the liver and can occur openly or in a latent form, causing cirrhosis of the liver. In a latent form, the disease provokes liver cancer. Many mothers ask, where can a newborn baby become infected with jaundice?

The disease is transmitted in several ways:

during childbirth from mother;
through blood, during transfusion;
when using reusable syringes or medical instruments that have not been properly processed;
in everyday life in close contact with an infected person.

A child can become infected in a hospital or from a mother who is a hidden carrier. If the mother did not have vaccinations before giving birth, she may be infected.

During pregnancy, tests for this disease are not performed in all regions. Hence, there are so many children who are born already infected and subsequently their quality of life is greatly reduced.

Hepatitis B spreads faster than the A form, which can only reach the baby through a blood transfusion. It is believed that a newborn baby can become infected from the mother through milk, but this fact has not been proven. Vaccinating a baby in the maternity hospital, before his contact with the outside world, means saving his life in the first year of life.

Features of the disease

Hepatitis enters the child's body and settles in the liver. Penetrating into liver cells, it leaves its nucleus in them. The immune system begins to perceive liver cells as something foreign and will fight against them.

The younger the child, the worse his immune system is afraid of bacteria and viruses. It’s good if the baby’s hepatitis occurs in an open form (jaundice), but it’s worse when it occurs in a hidden form. A child in his first year of life is more likely to become infected, and the disease can only be prevented by vaccination.

What vaccines are used to vaccinate a baby?

Vaccination of a newborn child against hepatitis B is free of charge. The first injection will be given to the child in the maternity hospital, the second is performed at 3 months and the last at 6 months. This is a traditional scheme for vaccinating a healthy baby against disease.

Vaccination is carried out using imported and domestic drugs. The main thing is that the vaccination is included in the register of the national calendar in the region where the baby was born.

Among the most popular are vaccinations with drugs:

The recombinant liquid vaccine against hepatitis B is the most popular domestic one. It is widely used in hospitals and maternity hospitals in Russia.
Engerix B is a Belgian drug. Produced in dosages of 10 and 20 mcg. Children receive less injections until they are 18 years old.
Ebirbiovak - the vaccine is produced by Cuba together with Russia. In our clinics, vaccination with this drug is often used.
Euvax B is produced jointly by Korea and France. Features fewer side effects. They are used extremely rarely in clinics.
Bubo-M is an American combined vaccine, popular in private clinics in Russia. It is done for children for a fee.

The hepatitis vaccine for children can be combined or monocomponent. The child is usually given the one purchased by the regional Ministry of Health. Traditionally, these are domestic drugs, since their prices are lower. But the composition and method of administration of all vaccines is not much different. Therefore, any injection given to a baby in the maternity hospital is safe and will help the baby acquire immunity for 20 years. The main thing is to follow the schedule and not delay the second and third injections.

Unforeseen cases

The vaccination scheme for children who are at risk differs. Such children need to be vaccinated with hepatitis in 4 steps. The first for 12 hours after birth, the second at 1 month, then at two and a year. This way, efficiency increases and the baby will be protected.

There are situations when, after being discharged from the maternity hospital, a child leaves with his parents to another region. Moms are worried about whether it is possible to continue the regimen for children with various vaccines? All drugs are similar and therefore interchangeable. But if there is no particular need, it is worth completing the regimen with one drug.

Combining hepatitis B with other vaccines is not recommended. The exceptions are complex DTP and polio. They are traditionally placed together in clinics. The injection cannot be combined with the BCG vaccination. And if the need arises, for medical reasons or personal factors, it is better to use the combined Bubo-M vaccine. The price of an injection in large cities starts from 13,000 rubles.

There are cases where a mother was unable to give her baby an injection against hepatitis immediately after birth, and upon arrival home, it turned out that the child was at risk. The drug must be administered according to the accelerated regimen 0-1-2-12, and immunoglobulin is additionally given to increase efficiency. It will boost the baby’s immunity and help cope with possible infections.

What to expect after administering the drug?

Mothers often refuse vaccination against hepatitis B because they are afraid that the side effects are too dangerous. Judging by the reviews, after vaccination against hepatitis, the child experiences complications that develop into various chronic diseases. Indeed, if a child was born with disabilities and has any hidden diseases, various complications are possible. But they are not related to vaccination, but to the individual characteristics of the baby.

Any maternity hospital has a competent pediatrician. Before vaccination, the baby will be examined and all necessary tests will be performed. If there is a reason for medical withdrawal, no one will inject the drug to the detriment of the baby.

Contraindications include:

Prematurity, when the weight of the newborn is less than 1.5 kg. In this case, a medical withdrawal is given until a weight gain of 2 kg is achieved.
Temperature above 37.5 degrees.
The child was born with a congenital disease: cancer, heart defect.

Vaccination against hepatitis in the maternity hospital does not cause any special complications, so medical exemption is given in extreme cases.

Of the known reactions of the body, side effects have been identified:

Urticaria. Appears due to an allergic reaction of the baby. An allergy to vaccine components was observed in 1 child out of 30, so the reaction is rare. Urticaria goes away on its own, no doctor’s intervention is needed.
Slight increase in temperature. Associated with the natural functioning of the baby’s immune system.

Other side symptoms: nausea, high fever, are not associated with the vaccine, but with a possible viral infection. A common occurrence is lumps and slight redness at the injection site. This is a physiological reaction to the components of the drug.

You should not try to squeeze out the lump or lubricate it with various ointments. The reaction will go away on its own and does not cause any discomfort to the child.

What Dr. Komarovsky says about the vaccine can be seen in the video:

When the question arises whether to vaccinate a child against hepatitis B and why so early, think about how many consequences are associated with infection with hepatitis B. There are no drugs for the disease, and the existing ones can only create a stable remission. The child will be a carrier all his life, and the ever-increasing prices of medicines cost from 100 thousand rubles. per course.

We looked at what a hepatitis B vaccination is. And if you are still in doubt whether to give it to your child or abstain, then your baby’s health is like a lottery ticket for you. Whether it is winning or not is not up to you!

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Hepatitis is a dangerous viral disease that affects the liver and bile ducts. Infection occurs in a variety of ways (domestic, sexual, artificial, etc.), since a very stable virus can survive under a variety of conditions and everywhere - in blood, urine, saliva, semen, vaginal secretions and other biological fluids.

The disease is very serious and can lead to a decrease in the detoxification function of the liver, cholestasis (impaired outflow of bile), loss of sleep, increased fatigue, confusion, hepatic coma, extensive fibrosis, cirrhosis, polyarthritis, and liver cancer.

Given such serious consequences and the difficulty of treatment, vaccination is widely used throughout the world to prevent infection. According to WHO, vaccination against hepatitis B should be done in the first days of a baby’s life. However, many parents doubt whether to give consent due to lack of awareness.

Today, vaccination against hepatitis B for children, like everyone else, is not mandatory, so parents doubt whether it is needed at all. Before signing a waiver, they must weigh the pros and cons and make the only right decision. There are a number of reasons why all doctors recommend mandatory vaccination of children from a very early age against hepatitis B:

the spread of infection has recently acquired the character of an epidemic, so the risk of infection is very high, and it can only be reduced through vaccination;
hepatitis B can become chronic, that is, it can give long-term, very severe complications in the form of cancer or cirrhosis of the liver, which leads to disability and death in childhood;
a child infected with hepatitis becomes chronic;
If you get vaccinated against hepatitis B, the chance of becoming infected still exists, but it is very low;
Even if a vaccinated child is infected, the disease will be mild, and recovery will occur much faster and without any consequences for the baby’s health.

Many parents mistakenly believe that their children do not need a vaccine against hepatitis B, since they simply have no place to get infected: they are brought up in a prosperous family and do not use drugs. This is a fatal misconception.

Children may come into contact with someone else's blood, which may be a carrier of a dangerous virus, in a clinic, kindergarten, or on the street: a nurse may forget to put on new gloves when taking a blood test; a child may fight, hit himself, or someone might bite him; on the street, a child can pick up a used syringe and many other strange objects. No one is safe from infection.

So parents should understand that vaccination against viral hepatitis B is very useful and is necessary for all children from birth. It is not for nothing that she is listed as one of the first on the vaccination calendar.

Timing, schedules, vaccination schedules

Since hepatitis B is a dangerous and quite serious disease, there is not one vaccination regimen, but three. Doctors came to these graphs after a catastrophic increase in the number of infected:

Standard: 0 - 1 - 6 (the first vaccination against hepatitis for newborns is given in the first days of life, the second - after 1 month, the next - after six months). This is the most effective childhood vaccination schedule.
Quick scheme: 0 - 1 - 2 - 12 (the first - in the maternity hospital, the second vaccination against hepatitis for newborns - after 1 month, the next - after 2 months, the fourth - a year later). With this scheme, immunity is developed instantly, so this schedule is used for children who have a high risk of becoming infected with hepatitis B.
Emergency vaccination: 0 - 7 - 21 - 12 (first vaccination - at birth, second - a week later, third vaccination against hepatitis B - after 21 days, fourth - a year later). This scheme is also used to quickly develop immunity in a small organism - most often before urgent surgery.

If the hepatitis vaccination in the maternity hospital was not given for some reason, the timing of the first injection is chosen by the doctor and parents arbitrarily, after which it is still necessary to follow one of the above schemes. If the 2nd vaccination was missed and more than 5 months have passed since then, the schedule starts again. If the 3rd injection is missed, schedule 0 - 2 is performed.

After a single vaccination, immunity is formed only for a short period of time. To develop long-term immunity, a hepatitis vaccination schedule for newborns is required, consisting of 3 injections. In this case, the interval between injections can be lengthened, but not shortened: this can lead to the formation of defective immunity in children.

As for how long the vaccine lasts: if all the schedules were followed exactly, you don’t have to worry for 22 years: this is the period for which protection against hepatitis B extends. It is especially important to vaccinate those children who are at risk.

Risk group

As already noted, the hepatitis B vaccination schedule largely depends on how quickly the child needs to develop immunity against infection. If he is at risk, rapid vaccination is carried out. It is necessary in the following cases:

the child's mother was found to have hepatitis B virus in her blood;
the mother is infected with hepatitis B, and was infected during a certain period - from 24 to 36 weeks of her pregnancy;
the mother was not examined at all for the presence of this disease;
parents use drugs;
Among the child’s relatives there are patients or carriers of a dangerous virus.

In all these cases, parents should not doubt whether their child needs a vaccine against hepatitis B: it is simply necessary. Otherwise, the risk of infection increases several times, and it can hardly be avoided. In such an important and responsible matter, you need to listen to the recommendations of doctors and not harm your own child.

A large percentage of refusals to vaccinate are due to parents’ concerns about how children tolerate hepatitis vaccination at such an early age. You shouldn’t be afraid of this either: the baby’s reaction usually occurs within the normal range and is monitored by medical staff while still in the maternity hospital.

Reaction

Usually, children experience a local reaction to hepatitis vaccination, i.e. vaccination is tolerated by children easily and in most cases painlessly.

Side effects may include:

redness, an unpleasant sensation, compaction in the form of a small nodule at the injection site (parents should know where the hepatitis vaccine is given - most often in the shoulder, less often in the thigh and never in the gluteal muscle) - these are allergic side reactions to the presence in the drug aluminum hydroxide, they develop in 10–20% of babies; most often they occur if the hepatitis vaccine is wet: this is not dangerous, but causes similar local side effects;
less often (in 1–5% of children) an elevated temperature is observed, which can be brought down with basic antipyretic drugs with the permission of a doctor;
general malaise may occur;
there is slight weakness;
headache (because of this, a small child cries and is capricious for 1–2 days after vaccination);
excessive sweating;
diarrhea;
itching, redness of the skin (if the allergic reaction is severe, the doctor may recommend an antihistamine for several days).

All this is considered normal: such a reaction at 1 month or 1 year in a baby to a vaccine against hepatitis B should not worry or worry parents. All these symptoms appear within 2–3 days after vaccination and disappear independently and without a trace after the specified time. Serious complications after hepatitis B vaccination are very rarely diagnosed.

Complications

The frequency of isolated cases when complications begin after vaccination against hepatitis B is 1 in 100,000, i.e. such phenomena are extremely rare. Complications include:

hives;
rash;
erythema nodosum;
anaphylactic shock;
exacerbation of allergies.

Today, vaccine manufacturers are reducing the dosage and even completely eliminating preservatives from it, so that the updated composition of the hepatitis B vaccine helps minimize adverse reactions and complications. It includes three main components:

Australian antigen (viral protein purified from impurities);
aluminum hydroxide;
merthiolate is a preservative that preserves the activity of the drug.

There is nothing dangerous in the hepatitis B vaccine, so rumors that it subsequently provokes the development of multiple sclerosis and other serious diseases are not justified.

WHO studies have shown that this vaccine has no effect on any neurological disorders, does not increase or decrease them. So myths about the dangers of vaccination should not cast doubt on parents who plan to refuse it. Complications only occur if contraindications are not followed, and doctors monitor this very strictly.

Contraindications

Before vaccination, any child is examined to see if he has any contraindications for vaccination against hepatitis B. These include:

allergy to baker's yeast, which is expressed in a reaction to beer, kvass, any confectionery and bakery products;
severe reaction to a previous injection;
diathesis (vaccination is given after skin rashes go away);
colds and any other infectious disease in the acute stage (vaccination is carried out after complete recovery);
meningitis (injections are allowed only after six months);
autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.).

Parents should have maximum information about what this vaccination is, from its composition to contraindications, in order to make the right decision in a timely manner and agree or refuse it.

Despite the fact that today there is still debate among ordinary people whether vaccination against hepatitis B is mandatory, all doctors unanimously argue that it is simply necessary in modern conditions, when the disease is reaching epidemic proportions. Prevention is much more effective than treatment, which in this case is protracted and does not guarantee 100% recovery.

Hepatitis is a viral liver disease that is transmitted from person to person. The disease can be chronic, and some types sometimes cause cirrhosis or liver failure. Hepatitis has three subtypes - A, B, C. The first is more gentle on the liver, and B and C can lead to its destruction.

Do adults need a hepatitis vaccine?

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is considered one of the most unpredictable infections. First, the disease affects the liver, then the blood vessels, skin, nervous system and digestive organs are involved in the process. The main sources of infection are virus carriers and sick people. In order to become infected, you only need 5-10 ml of hepatitis-infected blood. Routes of infection:

at birth from mother to baby;
through cracks, cuts, abrasions, bleeding gums;
during unprotected sexual intercourse;
through medical procedures: blood transfusions, injections and others.

To prevent becoming infected with a dangerous virus, adults need a hepatitis B vaccine. This is the only prevention of the disease. Almost everyone visits hospitals, hairdressing salons, and uses the services of a dentist. The risk group includes both visitors and employees of public institutions, because infection can very easily occur with them. If a person becomes infected with hepatitis B once, he will no longer be able to get rid of it forever.

What vaccine is used

Today, several drugs are used for hepatitis B. You can be vaccinated with any of them, since they all have similar properties and composition, but different prices. In order for adults to be vaccinated against hepatitis B to develop full immunity, three injections must be given. Any vaccine has a good effect, but the most popular are the following drugs:

Engerix (Belgium);
Biovac (India);
Regevak B (Russia);
Euvax B (South Korea);
Eberbiovak (Cuba).

Where is the vaccine given?

The hepatitis B vaccine is administered to adults and children into the muscle by injection. If you introduce it subcutaneously, this will greatly reduce the effect and lead to unnecessary compactions. For newborns and children under 3 years of age, the vaccine is given in the thigh. For adults, injections are given in the shoulder. The choice of location is determined by the proximity of the skin to well-developed muscles. The gluteal muscle lies too deep, so grafting is no longer done in this area.

How is vaccination against hepatitis B carried out for adults - scheme

Engerix, Regevac B, or any other drug is administered in several ways. As a rule, the first dose is administered immediately, and subsequent doses are given on different schedules with various breaks. Adults and children are vaccinated in the same way. There are three vaccination schedules:

Standard. The first one immediately, the second one a month later, and the third one six months later.
Emergency. The first immediately, the second - after a week, the third - after three weeks, the fourth - after a year.
Fast. The first immediately, the second - after 30 days, the third - after 60 days, the fourth - after a year.

Vaccination

How many times do you get vaccinated against hepatitis B if a person has never been vaccinated? In this case, the course is chosen in random order, but it is imperative to follow the scheme. If any injection was missed, and 5 months or more have passed, then vaccinations begin again. If the patient started the procedure several times, but only did 2 injections, then the course is considered completed. During primary vaccination, three injections are required to form long-term immunity. The validity period of hepatitis B vaccination in adults, regardless of the name of the drug and price, is from 8 to 20 years.

Revaccination

The essence of vaccination is to introduce an infectious agent into the body that stimulates the production of antibodies to the pathogen so that the person gains immunity to the virus. Revaccination is a program that is aimed at supporting the immune system, and it is carried out some time after vaccination. For preventive purposes, hepatitis booster vaccination should be carried out for every person every 20 years. If a newborn child has been vaccinated, then immunity to hepatitis remains until 20-22 years of age.

Action

The need for vaccination is determined individually. The doctor analyzes the person’s age and the level of antibodies to the HBV virus in the blood. According to the instructions, revaccination every 5 years is mandatory only for health workers, since the disease is transmitted through any biological fluids. For an ordinary person who has been vaccinated previously and has no contraindications, a single dose of the vaccine once every 20 years is enough to maintain immunity.

What reaction to a hepatitis vaccine is considered normal?

As a rule, hepatitis vaccination is easily tolerated. Sometimes a small nodule, slight redness or an unpleasant sensation appears at the injection site. Such reactions are caused by the presence of aluminum hydroxide in vaccines. Approximately 5% of people who receive primary vaccination experience fever, sweating, mild weakness and general malaise. Such conditions are considered normal, and they disappear after 1-2 days.

Possible complications and consequences

Sometimes severe conditions occur after vaccination, which are considered complications. These are joint pain, hives, rashes, allergies. The incidence of such reactions is very rare (1 case in 20,000 injections). Modern drugs (Engerix, Biovac and others) are very effective, because manufacturers have completely eliminated preservatives that cause side effects. Alcohol does not have a negative effect on the body after vaccination, so it is allowed in moderation.

Contraindications

If a person has an allergic reaction to baker's yeast, then he cannot be vaccinated against hepatitis. This is the only absolute contraindication. You should temporarily refrain from the procedure during periods of acute colds and meningitis. The vaccine should be administered with caution to women during pregnancy, people with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases.

Preventive vaccination against hepatitis for newborns is included in the vaccination schedule. Even before being discharged from the hospital, the baby receives first protection through vaccinations: against hepatitis B and tuberculosis. Parents have the right to refuse the procedure upon written request. But is it worth doing? Let's try to figure out whether infants need a hepatitis vaccine or not.

Hepatitis B is a viral disease with pronounced liver-damaging properties. The greatest importance in pathology is given to the death of hepatocytes - functional liver cells. As a result, the functions of the organ are lost to a greater or lesser extent.

Symptoms of the disease are caused by intoxication of the body due to a decrease in the liver’s ability to filter out toxins and poisons, as well as a pronounced violation of the excretion of bile through the ducts. Massive necrosis of hepatocytes leads to and.

In parallel, bleeding of the mucous membranes and portal hypertension syndrome (high blood pressure with impaired blood flow in the hepatic veins) develop. As a concomitant disease, polyarthritis may develop.

Why do babies need vaccinations?

Vaccination of a newborn is a way to protect him from a dangerous viral infection. The administered vaccine forms the body's immune response to a specific virus. Why is vaccination dangerous? A reaction to it may be yellowing of the skin. The condition is similar to physiological jaundice, the child recovers quickly.

Some parents are wondering whether it is worth getting vaccinated and are against vaccination, guided by their own considerations and the reluctance to artificially influence the baby’s immunity. But there is a risk of accidental infection.

In this case, vaccination becomes a reliable shield for the penetration of the virus and its destructive effect on internal organs.

Reasons to get vaccinated:

High epidemiological danger (characterized by a simple transmission mechanism - household contact, sexual, from mother to child);
Complications of hepatitis B lead to disability and death;
If infection occurs in an infant, then in the absence of treatment the process quickly develops into a chronic stage;
Vaccination cannot guarantee 100% protection against infection with the virus, but the disease is much milder and without complications.

When is a newborn at risk of contracting hepatitis B?

Vaccination of infants is justified by very specific risks:

The main route of transmission is through blood and biological fluids, and the child has close contact with them at birth. A long incubation period is also considered a kind of risk.

For protection purposes, to prevent dangerous consequences, the vaccine is given on the first day of life. In Russia it is included in the compulsory vaccination schedule.

Vaccinations according to the schedule

The schedule includes 3 vaccinations against hepatitis B:

In the maternity hospital, on the first day after birth.
The second one is placed 1 month after the first one.
At 6 months, six months later, counting from the first.

If it is impossible to get the next vaccination (there is no vaccine, the baby is sick), you can shift the schedule. As a result, a child should receive 3 vaccinations before he is one year old. Children of infected mothers receive 1 more vaccination.

The first vaccination cannot create immunity to the virus. To obtain a long-term immune response, 3 vaccinations are required according to a predetermined schedule and within acceptable intervals. In rare cases, for health reasons, doctors use an emergency vaccination regimen on days 1, 7, and 21 of a child’s life.

Why are they not vaccinated against other types of hepatitis?

Indeed, there are several types of hepatitis - A, B, C, D. And the vaccine is used only against the hepatitis B virus. Why? Today this disease is the most common and has the greatest epidemiological danger.

The number of infected and sick people is constantly increasing. The carrier infects another person unnoticed. The incubation period can last up to six months. Even the first symptoms are not always assessed correctly.

Before treatment, irreversible changes may occur in the child’s body. Vaccination is done to protect the lives of the younger generation.

Vaccine options

There may be 2 options: a monovaccine and containing additional components to protect against other types of infections.

The following types of vaccines are offered to newborns:

Where is the vaccine given?

All vaccines are intended for intramuscular administration. This method creates the best conditions for antigens to enter the bloodstream and form the necessary immune response of the body. It is recommended to avoid rubbing, scratching, and getting moisture at the injection site for 3 days after vaccination.

Reaction to vaccination

How do children cope with vaccinations in general? Vaccination usually does not cause complications and is well tolerated. A local reaction to irritation or injection is considered normal.

Possible side effects:

Aluminum hydroxide, which is part of the vaccine, can cause a local reaction to the injection. The same effect can occur if moisture accidentally enters. The reaction does not pose a health hazard. An elevated temperature is brought down with the usual antipyretic drug for a child.

Manifestations are considered normal for children under one year of age. Unpleasant symptoms usually appear on the first day after vaccination and can persist for up to 3 days. Then they pass without a trace. The first vaccination is carried out under the supervision of maternity hospital specialists.

Complications

In extremely rare cases, negative side effects and complications are recorded.

They may appear as:

Urticaria in the form of a rash;
Severe redness (erythema);
Anaphylactic shock.

In rare cases, a complication in the form of urticaria is possible.

Modern vaccines help minimize the risk of complications. In most cases, the cause is inattention to contraindications. According to WHO, the hepatitis vaccine cannot cause the development of autoimmune reactions, nervous system disorders or pose a direct danger to the baby’s life.

Is it possible to become infected with hepatitis directly through vaccination? This is a big misconception. The vaccine does not contain whole viruses, but only part of their outer shell. The shell is not capable of causing infection, but is suitable for forming the immune response of the human body.

Contraindications to vaccination

Before vaccination, doctors conduct a visual examination of the child and, if necessary, prescribe general tests to determine the health status. Parents are obliged to warn the pediatrician about any deviations in the child’s behavior and condition.

Contraindications to vaccination are:

Complications during childbirth are not contraindications for routine vaccination.

Parents themselves decide whether to vaccinate their child against hepatitis. Fear is often based on poor information and the availability of negative reviews on the Internet. But from a health point of view, vaccination is a good way to protect a child’s body from a serious illness and prepare the immune system for a possible fight against the virus.

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