Toolbox

  • Reminder of vaccination (3rd dose)

    To ensure the effectiveness of vaccination against hepatitis A and B (Twinrix), three (3) doses are required :

    1re


    2e :

    1 month after the first dose

    3e :

    6 months after the first dose

    This tool lets you send a friendly reminder for your third dose of vaccine.

    Please enter the date of the second dose as well as your email address. You will be notified within five (5) months.

    Date of the second vaccine:

    :


     

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    What are the symptoms of viral hepatitis?

    The majority of individuals infected by the hepatitis A virus have symptoms that may resemble the flu (influenza - fatigue, fever and headaches, etc.), while others may experience abdominal cramps and pains, diarrhea and jaundice (the skin and whites of the eyes develop a yellowish color). Jaundice is also known as "icterus". Symptoms of hepatitis A typically commence approximately one month after the virus has penetrated the organism (this is the incubation period). Hepatitis A causes inflammation, symptoms and then is completely cured by the immune system - no chance of long-term infection. A natural infection by the hepatitis A virus confers life-long immunity; antibodies (one of the defense mechanisms of the immune system) specific to hepatitis A prevent re-infection. In addition to jaundice, your urine may turn dark with bile and the stool (feces) light or clay-colored from lack of bile. Hepatitis A usually takes 2 months to resolve completely. While the outcome of hepatitis A is typically favorable, the occasional patient will die from an acute hepatitis A infection. Patients are usually considred infectious for a week after jaundice has been noticed.

    In contrast to hepatitis A, many patients infected by either the hepatitis B (HBV) or C (HCV) virus are unaware of their infection (no symptoms) and manage to cure it completely. Those individuals symptomatic from their infection suffer from symptoms similar to those described for hepatitis A above. Symptoms typically commence from one to three months subsequent to penetration of the organism by the virus. It is estimated that approximately 10 % of adults afflicted with an acute hepatitis B infection and 80 % of adults infected with hepatitis C infection will develop chronic longstanding liver inflammation that may lead to long-term complications including cirrhosis and/or liver cancer (hepatoma). Some patients will not completely eliminate the hepatitis B virus and will become carriers of this infection. This means that they may have at all times a small amount of virus in their blood and body fluids. These "carriers" may transmit the infection despite the fact that they are not ill from the virus.

    Hepatitis D virus requires the presence of the hepatitis B virus for its survival and manifests itself in a similar fashion. Hepatitis E infection is quite similar to hepatitis A (has an enteric method of transmission -that is to say infection via the digestive tract - contaminated food and water), yet is found more frequently in developing parts of the world (Asia, India and Pakistan, etc.). Heptatitis E is rare in North America. Hepatitis E is particularly serious and even lethal for pregnant women.