Hepatitis A is caused by the hepatitis A virus it is a serious disease that affects the liver. Hepatitis A can cause jaundice, diarrhea, severe stomach pain, and flu like symptoms.
Hepatitis A can be spread by
- drinking contaminated water
- eating food handled by an infected person who didn’t wash their hands properly after using the restroom
- eating raw fruit and vegetable rinsed in contaminated water
- getting a tattoo with improperly sterilized tools
- sexual contact with an infected person
The Avaxim vaccine contains an inactive hepatitis A virus which stimulates the body to produce antibodies again the virus. This immunity protects against infection by attacking the hepatitis A virus if it is encountered.
The Avaxim vaccine is recommended for the following situations:
- travel to high risk areas
- people who work directly with the virus in a lab
- people with hemophilia
- people with serve liver disease or damage
- intravenous drug users
- people who have close contact with an infected person
The vaccine begins providing protection about two weeks after it is administered.
If you are planning to travel outside Canada and wondering if you need to get vaccinated based on your destination country,
feel free to call us at (905) 475-2353 or book your appointment online for consultation with our healthcare provider.