HELP! Does the hepatits jab have thimiserol in it?

[Blu]

In two weeks we are taking DS, 3, to visit DP's family in Mauritius. DP has been back and forth several times and we have taken DS once before, and completely failed to think about jabs. Now we have discovered (doh!) that DS should be having a hepatitis vaccination, and have made an appointment for tomorrow. I am worried about thimiserol (?), but fear I have left it too late to get a mercury-free jab?

Anyone have any views? (and do all those holiday-makers who book for Mauritius get jabs??)

[Blu]

??

[Blu]

I'm going to put this on your late at every meal until one of you responds!

[tamum]

According to this it does, if you scroll down. That's HepB, and I'm not sure if that's the same one as your ds is booked for? I thought you had to have more than one jab though, so I'm probably getting muddled. For what it's worth I would have guessed that your ds is past the most worrying age, but that's easy for me to say.

[Jimjams]

Which hepatitis is it? I think the travel one isn't hep B (is it hep A or C I get confused) - it's the one you get from contaminated water.....

I think you can get thimerosil free hep B jabs - but some definitely do contain thimerosil. Have no idea about the other hep jabs.

[Blu]

It's A that is being recommended. And typhoid.
I had both 10 years ago - wonder if I need to get done, too?

[Blu]

Tamum - do you mean the most worrying age for catching HepA, or for having thimerosil?

[Jimjams]

ooh typhoid has always made me feel poorly...... No idea about A- but you could lok on the ingredients. I'm going to have my tea now will check in Neudstadter and post back if I find anything.

[Blu]

Thanks Jimjams.

It all seems so unnecesary - but that's because we're used to DP and other members of his family popping back and forth with no thought to illness. And never hear of any family/freinds out there catching these things. We take all the recommended health precautions - except not eating from street vendors, because that's how half his family make their living!

[tamum]

I meant most worrying age for having thiomersal, really. I would guess under 2 would be much more risky. I don't know if it would be any better but you can have HepA as a shot of immunoglobulins, can't you? That's what I had when we went to Sri Lanka (I think). There's a proper vaccine now so I don't know if the Igs have been discontinued (or whether they're suitable for children) but it would be worth asking. It may even be that that's what they're planning on giving him, as it would be a one-off. Sorry you've got all this to worry about, but hope you have a lovely time when you get there!

[Blu]

OK: I hadn't picked up that thimerosil was an age-limited worry. Thanks Tamum.
So now it's just the unpleasantness of the jabs, the feeling ill from the typhiod one - and of course the 2nd hand wedding present glass ships when we get there . But NOTHING like worrying about your ILs, jimjams!

[tamum]

That was my understanding, because of changes in the blood-brain barrier, but I guess jimjams will know a lot more!

[Jimjams]

BIggest risk from thimerosil is under 2- but OZ has banned it in routine vax for under the under 5's. Neudstaedter says basically that hep A is symptomless in 70% of cases in children under the age of 6. They are vaccinated in some countries as they act as a big reservoir of infection for adults - especially if they attend day care.

over a short period of time vaccine was shown tro be 94%. Adverse reactions not well understood but serious reactions include the usual suspects- anaphalaxis, Guillain Barre, MS etc. Difficult to separate out fomr reactions caused by other vax although cases have been recorded in children only given the hepA vax.

He recommends getting antibody levels tested- no vaccine needed if you have immunity. IN high risk communitites or groups (homosexual men!) then he says consider giving the vax.

For international travelers he suggests either the vax or- as tamum suggested the immune gobulin injection.


The main problems he lists with tyhpoid vac are its ineffectiveness (oral live, and inacctiavted polysaccharide given by injection), or (in the case of killed whole cell jabs) a high rate of serious adverse reactions. They seem to be mainly given to children over 5.

[Blu]

Thank you Jimjams.

[Jimjams]

It's not so much permeability of the blood brain barrier (although I'm sure that has played a big part in ds1's problems- do you know much about membrane permeabilities tamum- may have to have a chat with you if you do and pick your brains )

The problem with a younger child is that the brain is still in a very rapid state of development (faster in the first year of life than in much of pregnancy I think) so it's easy to get knocked off course by a neurotoxin. (this is very simplistic explanation- there's more- still simple but slightly less so- in a link I gave on a thread at the weeked- for all those interested in thimerosil- written by a neurosurgeon).