Experts point to vaccination as the most effective prophylactic method against hepatitis e urge strive to eradicate the disease

HM hospitals and the Universidad CEU San Pablo, with the collaboration of GSK, organized the scientific meeting Hepatitis A. Epidemiological, clinical, evolutionary and preventive aspects ”

– during the day both active immunization efficacy was highlighted as prophylaxis, especially with regard to hygiene is concerned, to win the battle for this infection

-vaccination against the virus is the most effective prophylactic method, whose duration is at least 25 years, when not for lifetime

– the incidence of the infection has increased in Spain in the first decade of the 21st century because new patterns such as immigration, travel to endemic areas and tourist racking

-the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the vaccine prophylaxis of potential contacts with subjects from countries of high endemicity or average up to 60 days of arrival

-vaccines against Hepatitis A are effective – reduce 97-98% of cases among vaccinated and induce immunity from group-, generate local reactions in less than 20% of vaccinees and generals in less than 5%in this case transitional and not severe; and are safe, because there were no serious adverse effects associated with its administration

Madrid, 2011-October must consider the possibility of eradicating the Hepatitis A, especially in chronic carriers of the disease ”, said Prof. Juan Martínez López of Letona, Chairman of the Hospital Foundation in Madrid, at the end of the scientific meeting Hepatitis A. Epidemiological, clinical, evolutionary and preventive aspects ”, recently held in HM University Sanchinarro, stressing also the effectiveness of prophylaxis, especially with regard to hygiene measures both active immunization referred to ”, to win the battle for this infection.

Given that the only reservoir is the man and the vaccine against Hepatitis A is relatively cheap, this allows us to aspire to its eradication ”, stressed Prof. Martínez López of Latvian to pick up the conclusions of the lectures given by experts gathered at the Forum, which was organized by HM hospitals and the Universidad CEU San Pablo, with the collaboration of the Paediatrics Society of Madrid and Castilla La Mancha and GSK.

And is that, as also stated Prof. Alfonso Delgado, Coordinator of the day and head of the Department of Paediatrics of HM hospitals, vaccination against this virus has been confirmed as the most effective prophylactic method, whose duration is at least 25 years, when not for life ”.

Groups for the implementation of prophylaxis and measures

In this sense, Prof. Delgado recalled the measures to properly perform the prophylaxis of Hepatitis A, such as step up hygienic measures, control of waste waters, avoiding risk factors and the administration of vaccines against virus or multi-purpose gamma globulin ”.

Similarly, the also Professor of Paediatrics and childcare of the Universidad CEU San Pablo reviewed groups of people in which it is indicated the administration of the anti-HAV vaccine and inmunoglubina, and its dose of administration as well as those which should apply prophylaxis pre and post exposure to Hepatitis a.

Epidemiological aspects were widely analyzed by DRA. Matilde Velasco, HM hospital pediatrician, as well as risk factors for contracting the disease. For its part, Dr. Cándido mass Vazquez, head of internal medicine, looked at his clinic and Diagnostics.

Higher incidence by immigration and tourism

For his part, Dr. José Garcia-Sicilia, Coordinator with primary care of the Hospital Universitario La Paz, was emphasized in the increase in the incidence of infection registered in Spain in the first decade of the 21st century – 2.46 to 5.28 cases per 100,000 population from 2000 to 2010Depending on their data-because new patterns such as immigration, the tourist racking and travel to endemic areas – three-quarters of the world are to a greater or lesser extent endemic – ”.

Thus, advocated to promote immunization among child immigrants, even though they were born in Spain, repeated to their countries of origin travel may increase the risk of contagion, and in this line, he recalled the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics: vaccine prophylaxis of all potential contacts (home, caregivers, etc) with subjects from countries of high endemicity or media (adopted) up to 60 days of arrival ”.

Finally, Dr. Garcia-Sicilia recalled the benefits of current vaccines: its effectiveness, as they reduce the 97-98 per cent of cases among the population vaccinated and induce immunity from group; their reactogenicity, to generate local reactions in less than 20 percent of the vaccinated and generals in less than 5 per cent, and in this case transitional not severe; and its security, because there are no serious adverse effects related to its administration and have only General contraindications of other vaccines ”.

HM hospitals

HM hospitals consists of several companies that manage different packaging private hospitals including HM University Madrid, HM University Montepríncipe, HM University Torrelodones, HM University Sanchinarro, HM new Bethlehem and Center comprehensive Oncology Clara Campal (CIOCC); all of them of great technical and human skills.

Based on a Decalogue and the Hippocratic oath directed by doctors and with the aim of offering quality medicine, different centres of HM hospitals have equipped with a cutting edge technology and staff better qualified and more humane.

All HM hospital centres operate in an integrated manner. To do this, there is a corporate structure with centralized services, as well as different management tools. This allows a complementary and synergistic action of structures, services and equipment, with maximum use of the technological and human resources.