Havrix vaccine belongs to the second group of medicines. Essential for developing immunity against hepatitis A.
All vaccines are classified into two main classes: routine and emergency.
Drugs of the first group are included in the vaccination calendar. They begin to put them from the first days of a person's life in order to form immunity. Vaccines of the second category are intended for use in emergency cases, for example, if the patient has been in contact with an infected person or after a tick bite. That is, they are used in the presence of special indications.
Havrix Vaccine
The medical product is intended for the prevention of hepatitis A. The manufacturer produces the vaccine in two versions: "Havrix 720" and "Havrix 1440". Enter it intramuscularly. In rare cases, when the patient has a blood disease, the drug may be administered subcutaneously (for example, if blood clotting is impaired).
Strictly prohibitedfreeze vaccine "Havrix" against hepatitis A, before use, check its consistency. The suspension should have a uniform consistency. If the drug is stored for a long time, there is a possibility of precipitation. To return the drug to its previous structure, it is enough to actively shake it. The vaccine is manufactured in the UK.
The Havrix vaccine contains formaldehyde, aluminum hydroxide, injection water, an inactivated virus that provokes the development of hepatitis A, and some other excipients. The vaccine is packaged in syringes or vials, which are additionally packed in cardboard packs.
Indications for use
Vaccination with this drug is necessary if you want to stop the spread of hepatitis A. The most susceptible to this disease are residents of developing countries, for example, the Caribbean, the African continent.
The Havrix vaccine is recommended if you need to vaccinate people who periodically or constantly come into contact with those infected with hepatitis A, children living in regions where the likelihood of getting sick is high. In addition, vaccination will be useful for travelers traveling to countries with a high risk of contracting hepatitis A; employees of medical and educational institutions working with people. Also, vaccination with the use of "Havrix" is carried out for people with pathological changes in the liver, suffering from hemophilia. This is due to the fact that in such people the body is susceptible to infection.stronger.
Contraindications for use
Havrix hepatitis A vaccine is not recommended for patients with marked intolerance to the components of the drug or an allergic reaction that occurred during the previous use of the medication. In addition, vaccination is contraindicated for sick people suffering from chronic forms of various pathologies, with diseases that change from chronic to acute.
Vaccination must be postponed if the patient is infected with SARS, an acute intestinal infection, he has a fever.
Pharmacological forms of the vaccine, the mechanism of action on the body
What does the instructions for the Havrix vaccine tell us?
The drug "Havrix 720" is intended for the formation of immunity in children, "Havrix 1440" is used to prevent the development of hepatitis A in adult patients. The virus for the manufacture of the vaccine is grown in the cells of the body, after which it is made into a suspension, which is then purified with formaldehyde.
Vaccination made it possible to eliminate hepatitis A epidemics in different countries by creating an immune response in the population. To activate a long-term immune response, vaccination should be repeated 6-13 months after the first one. In the presence of special indications, revaccination is repeated after 5 years.
Vaccination rules, scheme of application
Before administering a vaccine to a patient, medical personnel should read the instructions that come with the drug. Inject Havrix intravenouslyforbidden. The drug should be administered intramuscularly. Adolescent and adult patients are injected into the deltoid muscle, and children 1-2 years old are injected into the thigh. It is not recommended to inject under the skin or in the gluteal muscle, as in this case the body will not be able to produce antibodies to hepatitis A.
The structure of the Havrix vaccine must be uniform. If there is sediment at the bottom of the syringe (vial), the medicine must be shaken. If shaking does not bring the consistency back to normal, or the medicine changes its appearance for some reason, it should be discarded. At the first vaccination, 1 ml of the drug is used (for adult patients). When vaccinating children, the dose should be halved to 0.5 ml.
After 6-12 months after the first injection, revaccination should be carried out. At the second vaccination it is shown to use the doses recommended for the age group of the patient. The instructions for use contain information that an interval of 0.5-1 years must be maintained between vaccinations. The formation of the body's immune response occurs within 1-5 years.
Negative impacts
Study of over 5,300 patients found that Havrix may cause some adverse reactions.
Against the background of the use of the vaccine, infectious diseases of the upper respiratory system, rhinitis can develop. Often, patients note that after the administration of the drug, there is a loss of appetite, migraine,irritation. In rare cases, after vaccination, the patient may experience paresthesia, partial loss of sensation, dizziness.
Gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea may occur. In some cases, itching occurs, rashes appear. In a rare case, after the injection, there is an overstrain in the muscle structures. Local reactions of the body in the area of administration of the drug are not excluded. They appear in the form of a seal where the puncture was made, redness of the skin. Sometimes there is rapid fatigue after vaccination. In some cases, the patient may experience chills, fever.
The human immune system may respond to the introduction of Havrix with convulsions or allergic reactions. Quite rarely, urticaria, vasculitis, and angioedema develop after an injection.
Features of use
It is important to consider that the drug is not able to protect vaccinated people from infection with other types of hepatitis viruses, in addition, it does not protect against liver pathologies.
It is important to exercise caution when vaccinating people suffering from bleeding problems and thrombocytopenia. In this case, the likelihood of bleeding after the administration of the drug increases. After the injection, such patients should apply a special dressing to the injection site. The manufacturer for this category of patients provides an alternative method of drug administration - subcutaneously.
If the person being vaccinated has disorders in the immune system, it is not always possible to obtain a full production of antigens. In such cases, the manufacturer recommends additional doses of the vaccine. The vaccination room should have all the necessary tools that may be needed to provide emergency care to a person in the event of anaphylactic shock. After the administration of the drug, the patient must remain under the supervision of a specialist for half an hour.
First of all, Havrix vaccination is carried out for people who are prone to a high probability of infection, for example, who care for people suffering from hepatitis A, communicate with patients, and live in regions where the epidemiological threshold is raised. In addition, at risk are people with a homosexual orientation, drug addicts, those who lead a promiscuous sex life. The drug does not affect the concentration of attention and reaction when driving complex mechanisms and vehicles.
Havrix Overdose
The company that produces Havrix reports that cases of drug overdose are extremely rare. Negative manifestations of vaccine intoxication are similar to those that occur when using the drug in recommended dosages.
Interaction with other drugs
The chance of drug interaction with other medicines is minimal as it is an inactivated vaccine. "Havriks" is well tolerated and combined with drugs fromcholera, tetanus, typhoid.
The use of the vaccine to prevent infection with hepatitis A involves the simultaneous use of immunoglobulins. However, injections must be made into different muscles of the body, and mixing drugs in one syringe is unacceptable.
Havrix vaccine reviews
Most of the feedback on the experience of using Havrix is positive. Negative effects on the background of vaccination develop quite rarely. Experts note that the drug is well tolerated, and its effect persists for a long time. Vaccination generally provides immunity from hepatitis A for more than 15 years.
On the Internet, you can often find information that the Havrix vaccine is not available in Russia, it cannot be purchased. However, this is not true. In many pharmacies, the drug can be bought on order.
Where can I get the Havrix vaccine?
Vaccination can be done in almost any paid medical center. The cost of the procedure is more than affordable and amounts to 1500 rubles.
It is not uncommon for patients to take the chance of contracting hepatitis A lightly, believing that they will not be affected by the disease. But studies show that the percentage of infected people is increasing every year. Hepatitis A has virtually no symptoms, so many patients are unaware they are infected.
In Russia, vaccination against hepatitis A is not common, although it is quite easy to get infected with the disease -without washing your hands while in contact with an infected person. In this regard, people at risk should definitely be vaccinated.
We reviewed the instructions for use for the Havrix vaccine.
