Hepatitis B Immunisation.
Is your staff at risk from contracting one of the most infectious blood borne viruses?
Complete Corporate Health, as part of it corporate immunisation program, offer Hepatitis B vaccinations.
What is Hepatitis B?
The Hepatitis B virus infects the liver and causes a severe illness. This includes fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite, nausea, weight loss, abdominal discomfort and jaundice (yellow discolouration of the skin and eyes and dark urine). Most adults who catch hepatitis B recover completely but 5-10% of people infected become chronic carriers. After many years of chronic liver infection, people may die prematurely of liver failure or cancer.
How do you contract Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is spread by contact with infected body fluids. Blood is the most common infectious source but also via saliva, urine, faeces and semen. The virus can survive for many days in dried blood.
Transmission can occur through needle stick injuries, contact through exposed wounds, human bites, body piercings and tattooing with unsterile needles.
The incidence of Hepatitis B and C is on the rise due to the epidemic of intravenous drug use, in particular amphetamines.
How can you prevent infection?
Hepatitis B vaccination is highly recommended for all medical and paramedical workers as well as staff involved in work that may expose them to direct contact (e.g. nurses, police, home care etc) or indirectly through risks such as needle stick injuries and contact with contaminated material (e.g. gardeners, refuse collectors, janitors catering staff etc).
Use of standard precautions (e.g. rubber gloves and other protective equipment) when there is a risk of contact with any body fluids (i.e. blood, saliva, urine, faeces, semen etc)
Good hand hygiene i.e. alcohol gels or washing with water and soap, after contact with clients or contaminated material.
- Always cover open wounds with water proof dressings.
- Be aware of safe procedures in disposing of contaminated sharps.
- Immediately wash any sites exposed to body fluids.
- Report all exposures and accidents as soon as possible to ensure correct management.
Hepatitis B Immunisation Program
The immunisation program consists of a course of 3 injections (initial, 1 month and 6 months later). 4-6 weeks after candidates have completed their immunisations they should have a blood test to check that they have developed immunity. (95% of the population develops immunity after a course of Hep B immunisations).
This simple and cost effective immunisation program is the best way to ensure staff safety from a potentially devastating illness.
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