liver and gallbladder disorders
Hepatitis A
Prevention of Hepatitis A
Using good hygiene when handling food can help prevent the spread of hepatitis A. People should wash their hands with soap and water after using the bathroom, after changing a diaper, and before handling food. Avoiding contaminated water supplies is also important. People need to be particularly careful when they travel to areas where sanitation may be inadequate. Hepatitis A Vaccine is recommended for all children (see figure Travelers to parts of the world where hepatitis A is widespread People who work in diagnostic or research laboratories that handle hepatitis A virus People with chronic liver disorders or bleeding disorders Men who have sex with men People who use illicit drugs (who are often infected for reasons other than drug use) People who do not have stable housing or who are homeless People who anticipate close contact with an adopted child during the first 60 days after the child arrives in the United States from an area where hepatitis A is common Pregnant women who are at risk of getting hepatitis A infection during pregnancy People with chronic liver disorders (including chronic hepatitis C) should be vaccinated against hepatitis A because they may have an increased risk of developing fulminant hepatitis and liver failure due to the hepatitis A virus. Preventive measures are recommended for family members and close contacts of people with hepatitis A because they have been exposed to the infection (called postexposure prophylaxis). If people who have not been previously vaccinated are exposed to hepatitis A, they are given one of the following: Healthy people aged 1 to 40 years: One dose of the hepatitis A vaccine People who are over 40 or who have a weakened immune system or chronic liver disease: Standard immune globulin Standard immune globulin is a preparation containing antibodies obtained from the blood of people with a normal immune system. This treatment prevents or decreases the severity of infection. 