Dear Reader,
Vaccination forhepatitis A it is done regularly with two doses, with a booster 6-12 months after the first inoculation. The first dose already confers reasonable immunity and with the second dose the protection becomes long-lasting, for at least 10 years. Having said that, in the event that a person does not carry out the booster on time, up to 18-24 months after the first dose it may be sufficient to give the booster. If more than 24 months have passed, however, it is best to start again with the complete cycle: a new dose followed by the booster dose 6-12 months later. In this way we can be sure that we have acquired a good immunization against the hepatitis A virus.
Vaccinations to take before traveling
by Anna Lisa Bonfranceschi
Serological tests to see if the vaccination was effective are not used because the vaccine is considered highly immunogenic. There is no indication to do the test even to see if the protection is still effective after years. In these cases, rather than carrying out the test, it may be useful to completely repeat the vaccination cycle in complete tranquility, as there is no risk.
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* Massimo Andreoni is Full Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, as well as a specialist in Internal Medicine and Infectious and Tropical Diseases. He is the scientific director of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (Simit).
The information provided is intended for informational purposes only: it does not represent medical advice in any way and cannot replace diagnoses or treatment indications recommended by your doctor or a specialist.