VACCINES

AVAXIM^® OVERVIEW

AVAXIM is an inactivated vaccine indicated for active immunisation against infection caused by the hepatitis A virus.

Before you prescribe this vaccine please refer to the Prescribing information and SmPC links below.

AVAXIM Prescribing information

View the Avaxim SmPC

Why help protect your patients with AVAXIM?

Hepatitis A remains one of the most common travel-related vaccine preventable diseases, although, the incidence in travellers is declining.¹

Hepatitis A is caused by a virus which is usually acquired through the consumption of food or water contaminated by human faeces. Foods such as undercooked meat and fish can be a risk as well as foods that grow close to the ground such as lettuce and strawberries. It can also be acquired through person to person contact.¹

The risk of acquiring hepatitis A is highest in low-income countries with poor sanitary conditions. Regions where hepatitis A is highly endemic include the Indian sub-continent (particularly Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan), Sub-Saharan and North Africa, parts of the Far East (except Japan), South and Central America and the Middle East.¹

There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. Protection is through effective personal and food and water hygiene and vaccination.¹

	Presentation	Schedule	Further doses	Age range
	0.5 ml prefilled syringe Available in 1 and 10 syringe packs	1 dose	In order to provide long-term protection, a second dose (booster) of an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine should be given. The second dose is preferably given between 6 and 12 months but may be administered up to 36 months after the first dose	16 years +

 

References:

1. Travel Health Pro. Hepatitis A. Available at: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/21/hepatitis-a Accessed October 2020.
2. AVAXIM® Summary of Product Characteristics.