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| Vaccine-Preventable Diseases |
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Hepatitis A |
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Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by a virus. The virus is found in the feces (poop) of infected people. |
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The hepatitis A virus is spread when invisible particles of feces (poop) get into your mouth. You can get hepatitis A by eating contaminated food or water, during sex, or just by living with an infected person. |
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If you get infected with hepatitis A, your skin and eyes can turn yellow. You can get very sick for weeks and may need to be hospitalized, and even die. Some people don't feel sick, but they can still spread the virus to others. |
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You are
more likely to be infected with the
virus if you travel or work outside the
U.S., use illegal drugs, have sex with
an infected person, are homeless or have
unstable housing arrangements, or care
for a recently arrived unvaccinated
child from a country where hepatitis A
is common. |
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You are
more likely to have severe illness if
you have chronic liver disease or HIV
infection. |
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Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A. |
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| Hepatitis A Vaccine Schedule |
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| Two
doses of hepatitis A vaccine are
recommended for all children
beginning at age 12 months. The
two doses should be separated by
6 months. Children and
adolescents through age 18 years
who have not previously been
vaccinated should be vaccinated
routinely at any age. If you
didn't get the vaccine as a
child, you should get vaccinated
now if you are in a group at
risk for hepatitis A, or just if
you want to be protected. |
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| Trusted Websites |
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| Hepatitis A |
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| Find fact sheets for parents and children, resources, multimedia, and more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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| Hepatitis A |
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Find easy-to-understand vaccine information for yourself or your loved ones |
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Video Library |
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| Jill's Experience with Hepatitis A: Jill is like many other adults who gave little or no thought to the risks of hepatitis A or hepatitis B. Then she became sick. Jill contracted hepatitis A virus from a source she cannot identify. But what she does know for certain is how complicated her life became as a result of becoming infected with hepatitis A virus. |
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| >> view all hepatitis A videos |
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| Personal Testimonies |
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| Stories of suffering and loss from hepatitis A |
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| More Hepatitis A Information |
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| This page was updated
on December 10, 2021. |
| This page was reviewed
on June 28, 2021. |
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Immunize.org • 2136 Ford Parkway • Suite 5011 • Saint Paul, Minnesota • 55116 |
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tel 651-647-9009 • fax 651-647-9131 |
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Immunize.org (IAC), a non-profit organization, works to increase immunization rates and prevent disease by creating and distributing educational materials for health professionals and the public that enhance delivery of safe and effective immunization services. IAC also facilitates communication about the safety, efficacy, and use of vaccines within the broad immunization community of patients, parents, healthcare organizations, and government health agencies. |
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