Vaccines protect babies from deadly hepatitis<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): It's far better to prevent than to cure, so
\nparents check your timetable to see when your babies are due to
\nbe vaccinated against the Hepatitis B virus.<\/p>\n
The younger the children are when infected with the endemic
\nvirus, the bigger their chances of suffering from chronic
\nhepatitis in adulthood, pediatricians revealed on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"Babies infected with the virus during their first year will
\nhave a 90 percent chance of suffering from hepatitis, while the
\nchances of children above five years old when infected with the
\nvirus, of developing the disease in adulthood is only between 10
\npercent and 50 percent,\" Sri Kusumo Amdani from the Harapan Kita
\nHospital, West Jakarta, said.<\/p>\n
Speaking in a seminar, held by British-based pharmaceutical
\ncompany GlaxoSmithKline, on how to prevent children from
\ncontracting infectious maladies, Amdani explained that Hepatitis
\nB did not show any immediate symptoms, but could slowly kill the
\nsufferer in 20 to 30 years.<\/p>\n
Only a small number of patients show its flu-like symptoms,
\nsuch as a yellowish tinge in the eyes and skin, weakness, loss of
\nappetite and nausea.<\/p>\n
Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver triggered by the
\nvarious hepatitis virus from A to H.<\/p>\n
The Hepatitis B and C are the most fatal although they can be
\ncured. The virus resides in the blood, therefore they can easily
\nbe spread to other people through shared personal items which may
\ncontain traces of blood like combs, razor blades, syringes as
\nwell as through sexual intercourse and blood transfusions.<\/p>\n
Amdani said babies could catch the virus from their infected
\nmothers during childbirth. \"But the chances of this happening are
\nonly around five percent to six percent.\"<\/p>\n
\"The Hepatitis B virus is responsible for more than 80 percent
\nof liver cancer and cirrhosis in the world, while liver cancer is
\nthe world's second most deadly disease after lung cancer. Getting
\nyour babies vaccinated is the only way to protect them against
\nthe virus,\" she told the seminar.<\/p>\n
However, she added, the vaccine would only lst for 12 years.
\nAfter that, we should test to see if our bodies have established
\nits own antibodies.<\/p>\n
Her colleague Budi Purnomo explained that Indonesia, along
\nwith other developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, was
\nstill vulnerable to the endemic virus. \"This is because of the
\nregion's dense population and the people's low awareness of the
\nimportance of a healthy environment.\"<\/p>\n
A recent study revealed that at least 11.6 million Indonesians
\nhad been exposed to hepatitis, the third highest in the region
\nafter China and India.<\/p>\n
Budi said vaccination against various infectious diseases had
\nhelped reduce infant mortality from 145 out of 1,000 childbirths
\nin 1967 to only 52 out of 1,000 childbirths in 1997. \"The number
\nis still decreasing.\"<\/p>\n
\"Seven out of 10 fatal diseases that children are vulnerable
\nto are infectious, so it is important they are vaccinated during
\ninfancy,\" he told a media briefing after the seminar.<\/p>\n
There are various vaccinations a baby should be given besides
\nagainst Hepatitis B. These include vaccinations against the seven
\nfatal diseases, namely tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus,
\npertussis (better known as whooping cough), polio and measles.<\/p>\n
Many vaccines are combined to allow babies to take them in one
\ninjection.<\/p>\n
\"This new method helps reduce the trauma of taking many
\nvaccinations and subsequently reduces the number of babies
\ndropping out of the program,\" GlaxoSmithKline product manager
\nAlfi Fatmayani remarked. (bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/vaccines-protect-babies-from-deadly-hepatitis-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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