Hepatitis-a/b-vaccine

Hepatitis A/B vaccine is indicated for active immunization of persons 18 years of age and older against disease caused by the hepatitis A virus and infection by all known subtypes of the hepatitis B virus. 

• Hepatitis A/B vaccine is available under the following different brand names: Twinrix.

Common side effects of Hepatitis A/B vaccine include:

• injection site reactions (redness, pain, tenderness, swelling, or a hard lump)
• fever
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• other cold symptoms
• headache
• tired feeling
• nausea
• vomiting
• loss of appetite
• diarrhea

Serious side effects of Hepatitis A/B vaccine include:

• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash
• fast or pounding heartbeats
• easy bruising or bleeding

Rare side effects of Hepatitis A/B vaccine include:

• none 

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, coordination loss, unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights.
• Serious heart symptoms include fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out.

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur because of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult dosage

IM suspension

• (720 ELISA units/20 mcg)/1 mL

Hepatitis A & B immunization

Adult dosage

• Standard dosing: 1 mL IM at 0, 1, and 6 months
• Accelerated dosing: 1 mL IM on days 0, 7, and 21-30, followed by a 4th dose at 12 months

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.

• Hepatitis A/B vaccine has severe interactions with no other drugs
• Hepatitis A/B vaccine has serious interactions with at least 41 other drugs
• Hepatitis A/B vaccine has moderate interactions with at least 21 other drugs
• Hepatitis A/B vaccine has minor interactions with the following drugs:
  • chloroquine
  • ozanimod

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your healthcare professional or doctor for additional medical advice, health questions, or concerns.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to drugs or excipients including yeast and neomycin

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Hepatitis A/B vaccine?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Hepatitis A/B vaccine?”

Cautions

• Contains thimerosal (less than 1 mcg mercury)
• The tip caps of the prefilled syringes contain natural rubber latex which may cause allergic reactions
• Syncope (fainting) can occur in association with administration of injectable vaccines; syncope can be accompanied by transient neurological signs such as visual disturbance, paresthesia, and tonic-clonic limb movements; procedures should be in place to avoid falling injury and to restore cerebral perfusion following syncope
• Before immunization, the healthcare provider should review immunization history for possible vaccine sensitivity and previous vaccination-related adverse reactions to allow an assessment of benefits and risks; appropriate medical treatment and supervision must be available to manage possible anaphylactic reactions following administration of the vaccine
• To avoid diagnostic confusion between manifestations of an acute illness and possible vaccine adverse effects, vaccination should be postponed in persons with moderate or severe acute febrile illness unless they are at immediate risk of hepatitis A or hepatitis B infection
• Immunocompromised persons, including individuals receiving immunosuppressive therapy, may have a diminished immune response to vaccine
• Hepatitis A and hepatitis B have relatively long incubation periods; vaccine may not prevent hepatitis A or hepatitis B infection in individuals who have an unrecognized hepatitis A or hepatitis B infection at the time of vaccination; additionally, vaccination may not protect all individuals
• Results from clinical studies indicate that there is no association between hepatitis B vaccination and development of multiple sclerosis and that vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine does not appear to increase the short-term risk of relapse in multiple sclerosis

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Use with caution if the benefits outweigh the risks during pregnancy
• Lactation
  • Not known if the drug  is excreted in breast milk