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Hepatitis A Vaccine

What is Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is a preventable virus that causes inflammation in the liver of infected people. People catch the hepatitis A virus through close contact with infected individuals or ingesting contaminated food/beverages.

The symptoms caused by the hepatitis A virus can include:

  • Dark urine or clay-colored stools
  • Diarrhea
  • Feeling tired
  • Fever
  • Joint pain
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea, stomach pain, throwing up
  • Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)
  • Acute liver failure

These symptoms persist for about 2 months and, in some cases, last as long as 6 months. While there is no treatment and recovery is slow, hospitalizations for hepatitis A are rare unless it causes liver failure. The hepatitis A vaccine is a safe and effective way of preventing hepatitis A infections and the potentially life-threatening symptoms it causes.


How does the Hepatitis A Vaccine protect Southwest Florida?

Since it was first recommended in 1995, the hepatitis A vaccine has been a safe and effective way of preventing hepatitis A infections for millions of Americans. Because of this, it's helped shield people in Southwest Florida who are most at risk of infection and serious diseases like:

  • People with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
  • People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
  • People who are pregnant.

Hepatitis A Vaccine FAQ

The hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for everyone once they're a year old. You only shouldn't get the vaccine if your healthcare provider recommends otherwise because you've had an allergic reaction to a hepatitis A vaccine in the past. Getting vaccinated is vital because, in addition to protecting you, it protects people who can't get vaccinated by reducing the number of people who can spread the virus.

People under 18 will receive 2 shots of the hepatitis A single antigen vaccine, which are spaced at least 6 months apart. 

People over 18 years of age who haven't been vaccinated for hepatitis A or hepatitis B can also receive 3 shots of a combination vaccine, which are also spaced at least 6 months apart.

To be fully protected against hepatitis A, you must complete the vaccination series.

The hepatitis A vaccine has no serious side-effects associated with it. The most common side-effect that people report is soreness at the injection site.

Clinical pharmacists are available to answer your vaccine questions on Lee Health's MyChart portal.

If you don't have a MyChart account, signing up is quick and easy!

The information on this page was last verified in August of 2024.

For the latest updates on the Chickenpox Vaccine, check out the CDC's website on Vaccines and Preventable Diseases.

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Protect yourself from preventable diseases!