Hepatitis B

What is hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a viral disease that attacks the liver and may cause jaundice (yellow skin and eyes). In most people the virus clears up within 6 months and they become immune. But some people (about one in ten of those who get hepatitis B as an adult) remain infectious and may go on to develop cirrhosis or cancer of the liver over a period of years. Follow up is important to detect early changes and treat when necessary. Hepatitis B is preventable by using a safe and effective vaccine.

How do people get hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is caused by a virus which has been found in many body fluids, e.g. sweat, tears, saliva, semen and vaginal secretions. Infected blood is the most common way that the virus is spread from one person infected with hepatitis B to another. For hepatitis B to spread from one person to another there must be contact between infected body fluids and cuts or broken skin or mucous membranes.

Examples of how hepatitis B can be spread include:

During sex with an infected partner.
From an infected mother to her newborn baby during delivery.
Users of injected drugs can infect others through sharing needles.
By sharing contaminated needles or other drug injecting equipment.
Through a blood transfusion in a country where blood is not tested for hepatitis B virus. All blood in the Ireland is tested.

If you have had other types of hepatitis, you can still get hepatitis B.

Who should get hepatitis B vaccine?
Hepatitis B vaccine is given to all babies as part of the 6 in 1 vaccine that is given at 2, 4 and 6 months of age.

Vaccination is also recommended for people at risk of infection. This includes:

  • babies born to infected mothers,
  • intravenous drug users,
  • household contacts and sexual partners of infected people,
  • people who change sexual partners,
  • men who have sex with men,
  • individuals at high risk due to medical conditions,
  • health care professionals
  • Gardaí and Rescue Service personnel, prison staff and employees of security companies
  • people with a learning disability who attend an institution families adopting or fostering children from countries
  • where hepatitis B is very common
  • people travelling to parts of the world where hepatitis B is very common.

Who should not get hepatitis b vaccine?
Very rarely someone may have a very severe life threatening reaction (anaphylaxis) to one or more of the contents of the vaccine. They should not receive hepatitis B vaccine.

https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/adult/hepb/

HPV - Human Papillomavirus

In July 2018, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommended the HPV vaccine for men and women living with HIV up to and including 26 years of age and for MSM (including MSM living with HIV) up to and including 45 years of age.

The HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme have developed information materials on the HPV vaccination for people living with HIV and MSM. (you will be directed to the Sexual Wellbeing website)

The information leaflets are available to download from Here

Copies of the HPV vaccination information leaflets and posters can be ordered for free through www.healthpromotion.ie

Pneumococcal Vaccine

What is Pneumococcal Disease?
Pneumococcal disease is a bacterial infection caused by streptococcus pneumoniae of which there are more than 90 serotypes. The organism is frequently found in the upper respiratory tract of healthy individuals worldwide. It has been estimated that carriage of the bacteria may range from 10% of adults to 50% of children attending day care facilities.

Over the years streptococcus pneumoniae has become resistant to many medications making the treatment of pneumococcal infections much more difficult. Prevention of disease through vaccination is now more important than ever.

Which pneumococcal vaccines are recommended in Ireland?
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines are licensed in Ireland

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)
PCV 13 – Prevenar 13 – contains polysaccharide from 13 of the most common capsular types (1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F). It is recommended for the routine vaccination of all children born on or after 1st October 2010. This replaced PCV 7 (Prevenar 7) the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduced into the routine childhood immunisation programme in September 2008.

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV)

This vaccine contains purified polysaccharide from 23 of the most common capsular types of streptococcus pneumoniae. This vaccine is recommended for those aged 65 years and older and "at-risk" adults and children over 2 years of age. To find out if vaccination is required please consult your copy of the PPV23 algorithm. It is available to download from here.

Flu Vaccine

Flu Vaccine

The flu is a contagious viral infection that spreads every winter. Getting the flu vaccine is the
best way to protect yourself against flu.

The best time to get the flu vaccine is before the flu season starts.

It is available from October to the end of April each year.

Who can get a free flu vaccine
You can get a free flu vaccine if you are:

  • age 60 and older
  • age 2 to 17
  • a healthcare worker
  • pregnant
  • living in a nursing home or other long-term care facility
  • in regular contact with pigs, poultry or waterfowl
    someone with a health condition that puts you at higher risk of flu (age 6 months and
    older)
  • living with someone who has a health condition that puts them at higher risk of flu
    a carer for someone who has a health condition that puts them at higher risk of flu