This vaccine gives protection against the hepatitis A virus, which is a cause of liver infection.
There are three types of hepatitis A vaccine available in the UK:
All types of hepatitis A vaccines used in the UK are inactivated. They do not contain any live viruses or bacteria, and cannot cause disease.
The risk of infection from hepatitis A is low for most people in the UK, so the vaccine is only available free of charge to people at high risk of hepatitis A disease. This includes:
In Europe and the UK there is currently an increase in the number of cases of hepatitis A, mainly among men who have sex with men. Most of the UK cases so far have been in London. Public Health England is encouraging gay and bisexual men to practice good personal hygiene and ask about hepatitis A vaccination at their sexual health clinic appointments.
Vaccines are available for adults and for children aged 1 year or older. However, combined hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines are not licensed for children under the age of 15. For some vaccines only one initial dose is needed, and for others two or three doses are needed. Booster doses may also be needed for long-term protection. For more information, ask for the Patient Information Leaflet for the vaccine you are offered.
There are several different makes of hepatitis A vaccine used in the UK. For full information on ingredients, ask for the Patient Information Leaflet for the vaccine you are offered, or look the brand name up on the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) .
Apart from the active ingredients (the antigens), all hepatitis A vaccines used in the UK contain very small amounts of this added ingredient:
Hepatitis A vaccines may also contain traces of these products used during the manufacturing process:
Growing the active ingredients for the vaccines:
Side effects vary between the different types of hepatitis A vaccine, but can include the following:
Very common (affecting more than 1 in 10 people at each dose):
Common (affecting up to 1 in 10 people at each dose):
Uncommon (affecting up to 1 in 100 people at each dose):
For rarer side effects (affecting fewer than 1 in 1000 people), ask to see the Patient Information Leaflet for the vaccine you are offered.
As with any vaccine, medicine or food, there is a very small chance of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Anaphylaxis is different from less severe allergic reactions because it causes life-threatening breathing and/or circulation problems. It is always extremely serious but can be treated with adrenaline. Health care workers who give vaccines know how to do this. In the UK between 1997 and 2003 there were a total of 130 reports of anaphylaxis following ALL immunisations. Around 117 million doses of vaccines were given in the UK during this period. This means that the overall rate of anaphylaxis is around 1 in 900,000.
Reactions listed under ‘possible side effects’ or ‘adverse events’ on vaccine product information sheets may not all be directly linked to the vaccine. See Vaccine side effects and adverse reactions for more information on why this is the case.
If you are concerned about any reactions that occur after vaccination, consult your doctor. In the UK you can report suspected vaccine side effects to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) through the Yellow Card Scheme . You can also contact the MHRA to ask for data on Yellow Card reports for individual vaccines
. See more information on the Yellow Card scheme and monitoring of vaccine safety.
The Hepatitis A virus can cause liver infection. It is spread by food and water contaminated... Read more