Twinrix
RxNorm 153189

Hepatitis A Vaccine

Why get vaccinated against hepatitis A? Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease. It is caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV is spread from person to person through contact with the feces (stool) of people who are infected, which can easily happen if someone does not wash his or her hands properly. You can also get hepatitis A from food, water, or objects contaminated with HAV. Symptoms of hepatitis A can include the following: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and/or joint pain severe stomach pains and diarrhea (mainly in children) jaundice (yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements) These symptoms usually appear 2 to 6 weeks after exposure and usually last less than 2 months, although some people can be ill for as long as 6 months. If you have hepatitis A you may be too ill to work. Children often do not have symptoms, but most adults do. You can spread HAV without having symptoms. Hepatitis A can cause liver failure and death, although this is rare and occurs more commonly in persons 50 years of age or older and persons with other liver diseases, such as hepatitis B or C. Hepatitis A vaccine can prevent hepatitis A. Hepatitis A vaccines were recommended in the United States beginning in 1996. Since then, the number of cases reported each year in the United States has dropped from around 31,000 cases to fewer than 1,500 cases.
[Learn More]

Hepatitis B Vaccine

Why get vaccinated against hepatitis B? Hepatitis B is a serious infection that affects the liver. It is caused by the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B can cause mild illness lasting a few weeks, or it can lead to a serious, lifelong illness. Hepatitis B virus infection can be either acute or chronic. Acute hepatitis B virus infection is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after someone is exposed to the hepatitis B virus. This can lead to: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, and/or vomiting jaundice (yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements) pain in muscles, joints, and stomach Chronic hepatitis B virus infection is a long-term illness that occurs when the hepatitis B virus remains in a person's body. Most people who go on to develop chronic hepatitis B do not have symptoms, but it is still very serious and can lead to: liver damage (cirrhosis) liver cancer death Chronically infected people can spread hepatitis B virus to others, even if they do not feel or look sick themselves. Up to 1.4 million people in the United States may have chronic hepatitis B infection. About 90% of infants who get hepatitis B become chronically infected, and about 1 out of 4 of them dies. Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluid infected with the hepatitis B virus enters the body of a person who is not infected. People can become infected with the virus through: birth (a baby whose mother is infected can be infected at or after birth) sharing items such as razors or toothbrushes with an infected person contact with the blood or open sores of an infected person sex with an infected partner sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment exposure to blood from needlesticks or other sharp instruments Each year about 2,000 people in the United States die from hepatitis B–related liver disease. Hepatitis B vaccine can prevent hepatitis B and its consequences, including liver cancer and cirrhosis.
[Learn More]

* Please review the disclaimer below.