drug-information.ru

Engerix-B, Engerix-B Pediatric, Recombivax HB, |Recombivax HB

Recombivax HB

Generic Name: hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) (hep uh TY tis B)
Brand Names: Engerix-B, Engerix-B Pediatric, Recombivax HB

What is hepatitis B vaccine?

Hepatitis B virus is a serious disease caused by a virus. HBV is spread through contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected person. A person can get infected in one of several ways: by having unprotected sex with an infected person; by sharing injection needles; by being stuck with a needle that was used by an infected person; and during birth when the virus passes from an infected mother to her baby.

Hepatitis B infection can cause illness that leads to loss of appetite; diarrhea and vomiting; tiredness; jaundice (yellow skin or eyes); or pain in the muscles, joints, and stomach. It can also cause long-term illness that can lead to liver damage (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and death. About 1.25 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis B infection.

Hepatitis B vaccine exposes you to a small amount of the virus and causes your body to develop immunity to the disease.

Vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all children younger than 18 years of age. Vaccination is also recommended for adults over 18 who are at risk of getting HBV. Risk factors include: having more than one sex partner in 6 months; being a homosexual male; having sexual contact with infected people; having chronic hepatitis C; using intravenous (IV) drugs; being on dialysis; working in healthcare or public safety and being exposed to infected blood or body fluids; being in the military or traveling to high-risk areas; and living with a person who has chronic HBV infection.

What is the most important information I should know about hepatitis B vaccine?

Hepatitis B vaccine will not protect you against infection with hepatitis A, C, and E, or other viruses that affect the liver. It will also not protect you from hepatitis B if you are already infected with the virus, even if you do not yet show symptoms.

You will receive either three or four doses of the hepatitis B vaccine, depending on your exposure or risk of infection. Your healthcare provider will determine the best dosing schedule for your situation.

Be sure to receive all doses of the hepatitis B vaccine recommended by your healthcare provider or by the health department of the state you live in. If you do not receive the full series of vaccines, you may not be fully protected against the disease.

Serious side effects from hepatitis B vaccine are very unlikely to occur. Getting hepatitis B (HBV) disease is a much more dangerous risk to your health than the small chance that you will have a serious side effect from the hepatitis B vaccine.

Vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all children younger than 18 years of age. Vaccination is also recommended for adults who are at risk of getting HBV. Risk factors include: having more than one sex partner in 6 months; being a homosexual male; having sexual contact with infected people; having chronic hepatitis C; using intravenous (IV) drugs; being on dialysis; working in healthcare or public safety and being exposed to infected blood or body fluids; being in the military or traveling to high-risk areas; and living with a person who has chronic HBV infection.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before receiving hepatitis B vaccine?

Hepatitis B vaccine will not protect you against infection with hepatitis A, C, and E, or other viruses that affect the liver. It will also not protect you from hepatitis B if you are already infected with the virus, even if you do not yet show symptoms.

Before receiving hepatitis B vaccine, talk to your doctor if you:

• have cancer, HIV or AIDS, or another disease that affects the immune system;

• are receiving treatments that can weaken your immune system (such as steroids, chemotherapy, or radiation); or

• have multiple sclerosis.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to receive this vaccine, or it may need to be postponed until you are in better health.

You may still receive this vaccine if you have a minor illness such as a cold. If you are severely ill or have a high fever, wait until you are feeling better before receiving the hepatitis B vaccine.

How is hepatitis B vaccine administered?

Hepatitis B vaccine is given as an injection (shot) into a muscle. Your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider will give you this injection.

You will receive either three or four doses of the hepatitis B vaccine, depending on your exposure or risk of infection. Your healthcare provider will determine the best dosing schedule for your situation.

Hepatitis B vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccinations.

Your healthcare provider may recommend using an aspirin-free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours. This will help prevent fever and pain. Your healthcare provider can tell you the proper dosages of these medications.

Be sure to receive all doses of the hepatitis B vaccine recommended by your healthcare provider or by the health department of the state you live in. If you do not receive the full series of vaccines, you may not be fully protected against the disease.

If your child attends public school, the school district may require that the child receives a certain number of hepatitis B vaccinations to enroll in school. This dose schedule may vary by state and school district.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Contact your doctor if a you will miss a hepatitis B vaccine dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of hepatitis B vaccine is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid before or after getting hepatitis B vaccine?

There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activity before or after receiving this vaccine, unless your doctor has told you otherwise.

Hepatitis B vaccine side effects

Serious side effects from hepatitis B vaccine are very unlikely to occur. Getting HBV disease is a much more dangerous risk to your health than the small chance that you will have a serious side effect from the hepatitis B vaccine.

• high fever;

• fast or uneven heartbeats; or

• behavior changes.

Other less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:

• headache;

• dizziness;

• joint pain;

• mild to moderate fever; or

• swelling, redness, or pain where the shot was given.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Contact your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect hepatitis B vaccine?

Talk to your doctor before receiving hepatitis B vaccine if you are using any of the following medications that may affect the immune system:

• an oral or injected steroid such as betamethasone (Celestone), cortisone (Cortone), dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexone), hydrocortisone (Cortef, Hydrocortone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisolone (Prelone, Pediapred), prednisone (Orasone, Deltasone), or triamcinolone (Aristocort);

• an inhaled or nasal steroid such as beclomethasone (Qvar, Beclovent, Beconase, Vanceril, Vancenase), budesonide (Pulmicort, Rhinocort), flunisolide (Aerobid, Nasalide, Nasarel), fluticasone (Flovent, Flonase), mometasone (Nasonex), or triamcinolone (Azmacort, Nasacort);

• cancer chemotherapy, radiation, or x-rays;

• azathioprine (Imuran);

• basiliximab (Simulect);

• cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf);

• etanercept (Enbrel);

• leflunomide (Arava);

• muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone);

• mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept);

• sirolimus (Rapamune); or

• tacrolimus (Prograf).

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect your immune system. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors.

Where can I get more information?

• Your doctor or pharmacist may have additional information or suggest additional resources regarding hepatitis B vaccine.

• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ("Multum") is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum"s drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum"s drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.