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Protection
against Hepatitis A?
Environmental
Risk
Whether you are traveling to or living in areas
where hepatitis A is endemic, or are at increased
risk of contracting hepatitis A because of your
work or lifestyle, most cases of hepatitis A can
be avoided if you:
> Avoid untreated
tap water in drinks or ice cubes. When drinking
or brushing your teeth, use only bottled or boiled
water.
> Do not eat unpeeled
fruits, salads, uncooked vegetables, or raw shellfish
(e.g., clams, oysters, and mussels). These foods
can be contaminated with hepatitis A, even in "western"
style restaurants and resorts.
> Do not eat food
or drink beverages (except commercially bottled
beverages) bought from street vendors.
Personal Actions
Since no specific medicine is available to treat
hepatitis A once you are infected, it is very
important to prevent the infection. One of the
best ways to prevent the spread of hepatitis A
is easy - proper hand washing.
Use warm water Wet your hands before applying
Rub your soapy hands together for about 20 seconds
Rinse your hands thoroughly to remove all soap
Turn off water with paper towel Dry your hands
with an air-dryer or a clean paper towel
Vaccination
Hepatitis A may also be avoided through
vaccination with immune globulin (IG) - or hepatitis
A vaccine.IG contains antibodies (or protective
proteins) to the hepatitis A virus. IG is relatively
inexpensive and provides short-term protection
against hepatitis A disease (generally 3 to 5
months).Hepatitis A vaccines also help provide
longer-term protection against hepatitis A.4 The
total duration of protection is unknown at present,
but in one study, protection was demonstrated
for at least 4 years. Studiesare ongoing. The
vaccines contain a killed or inactivated virus
that does not cause hepatitis A, but does stimulate
the body's immune system to make the antibodies
that help protect against the virus.
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