Whether you are travelling abroad for a holiday, or for occupational purposes, it is important to consider any potential risks. This includes contracting Hepatitis B, especially if your employment puts you at increased risk. Keep reading to find out how to protect yourself and your employees abroad with our Hepatitis B vaccine in Birmingham.
Hepatitis B is a liver infection. It is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids or blood from an infected person. It can be caught through means such as:
– Having unprotected sex with an infected person
– Accidentally puncturing your skin with a used needle
– The blood of an infected person getting into an open wound
– Having a piercing, tattoo, dental or medical treatment in an unsterilised environment
Ordinarily, Hepatitis B symptoms include:
– Abdominal pain
– A loss of appetite
– Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
– Diarrhoea
– Stomach pain
– Flu-like symptoms, such as aches and pains, a fever and tiredness
If you contract Hepatitis B, there are a range of treatments. The treatment used depends on how long you have had it for. Emergency treatment can also be given. You can learn more about short-term vs long-term Hepatitis B on the NHS website.
Generally, high-risk Hepatitis B areas include:
– East and Southeast Africa
– Sub-Saharan Africa
– The Indian Subcontinent
– The Middle East
– Southern parts of Central and Eastern Europe
– The Pacific Islands
– Parts of South America
It is not common in the UK; most new cases are caught in one of these areas. Regardless of where you are travelling, we recommend checking the NHS Fit for Travel site well in advance to see what vaccines you need.
It is especially important to get protected if you are from professions such as:
– Sewage workers
– Medical environment cleaners
– Medical waste disposal workers
– Care home or healthcare workers
– Policing or prison staff
– Firefighters
This is because they put you at a higher risk of coming into contact with bodily fluids.
It is recommended that you avoid contact with bodily fluids and blood. You can do this by:
– Not sharing shaving equipment
– Avoiding getting a tattoo, piercing or acupuncture unless they have sterile equipment
– If contact is unavoidable, for example due to occupation, use appropriate protection
– Avoid unprotected sexual intercourse
You can find out more about Hepatitis B prevention here:
If you have not already done so, we would recommend visiting us to get your vaccine. The initial vaccination schedule requires 3 doses over varying timescales. The timescales depend on how soon it is needed. The vaccine is highly safe and effective and 9 in 10 adults develop protection from it. We offer a range of travel vaccines; you can find out more below. Contact us to book your Hepatitis B vaccine today!
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This blog post was written on behalf of The Travel Health Clinic by Pharmacy Mentor.
