GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is meant to be given in the muscles of the thigh to infants younger than 1 year. In older children, it may be given in the muscle of the arm. Your child needs at least 3 doses of GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection to be fully protected against the hepatitis B virus. While the first shot can be given within 24 hours of birth, the second shot is given when the child turns 1 to 2 months old (after a minimum gap of 28 days) following the first shot. The final third shot is given between 6 to 18 months of age (at a minimum gap of 16 weeks after the first shot and at least 2 months after the second shot).
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection
Basic Information
Important information about this medicine
About This Medicine
General information about this product
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is a vaccine that prepares your child’s immune system to fight against the hepatitis B virus. This virus causes a serious liver disease called hepatitis. The vaccine does not contain any live viruses and cannot cause hepatitis B disease in children.
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is meant to be given in the muscles of the thigh to infants younger than 1 year. In older children, it may be given in the muscle of the arm. Your child needs at least 3 doses of GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection to be fully protected against the hepatitis B virus. While the first shot can be given within 24 hours of birth, the second shot is given when the child turns 1 to 2 months old (after a minimum gap of 28 days) following the first shot. The final third shot is given between 6 to 18 months of age (at a minimum gap of 16 weeks after the first shot and at least 2 months after the second shot).
The vaccination helps stimulate the immune system and builds up high levels of protection against the hepatitis B virus in babies and young children. Therefore, all three doses are important for your child. Do not skip or miss out on any of the doses as that will render the protection ineffective and leave your child vulnerable to hepatitis infection. GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is safe to be given as a stand-alone vaccine or along with other vaccines at the same time.
Make sure that the site of the injection is not the same again and again. This will help prevent injection site reaction and pain. Common cold, stomach upset, ear infection or any other minor illnesses should not prevent immunization. However, your doctor may suggest rescheduling the vaccination if your child has a more serious illness. Children who are moderately or severely ill should usually wait until they recover before taking the shots of GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection.
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection can cause some minor and temporary short-term side effects. These may include fever, mild crankiness, loss of appetite, skin rash, body pain, flushing, respiratory symptoms like runny nose, wheezing, or tightness in the throat. Your child may also experience some injection site problems like tenderness, soreness, redness, or swelling. However, these episodes are momentary and subside on their own. If worrisome, do seek your child’s doctor’s help.
Discuss the vaccine safety with your child’s doctor if your child ever developed a serious allergic reaction to any medicines or has a history of liver problems, kidney problems, blood disorders, birth defects, heart problems, or lung problems. This information is important for planning your child’s vaccination schedule.
03Uses
Prevention of Hepatitis B infection
04How It Works
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection contains an inactive part of a virus. This virus cannot multiply in the body but can help initiate the body’s immune response to produce antibodies (proteins) to protect against hepatitis infections. In short, the vaccine generates an immune response without making your child sick.
05What If You Miss A Dose?
Do not panic. If you miss a schedule of GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection, consult your child’s doctor and get your child vaccinated as soon as possible.
06Benefits
In Prevention of Hepatitis B infection
Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. The main benefit of GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is the prevention of this disease. When GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is given to children, their body stimulates the immune system. As a result, the immune system starts producing antibodies against this virus. These antibodies help provide protection against infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection protects your child from developing liver disease and cancer from hepatitis B.
07Side Effects
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection does not pose serious side effects and is well-tolerated by children. In case the side effects do occur, they’re likely to subside once the body adapts to the medicine. Consult your child’s doctor if these side effects persist or bother your child. The most common side effects include-
Respiratory disorder
Flushing (sense of warmth in the face, ears, neck and trunk)
Body ache
Skin rash
Injection site reactions (pain, swelling, redness)
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite
Irritation
Fever
08Safety Information
Kidney:SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is safe to use in patients with kidney disease. No dose adjustment of GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is recommended.An extra booster dose may be required in cases of kidney disease as Hepatitis B Vaccine (rDNA) is less effective in such cases. Consult your child’s doctor before getting your child vaccinated.
Liver:SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is safe to use in patients with liver disease. No dose adjustment of GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is recommended.However, consult your child’s doctor before getting your child vaccinated.
09Drug Tips
GeneVac-B Paediatric Injection is usually given as a series of three injections over 6 months. Neonates born to hepatitis B positive mothers might require a fourth dose.
A warm, damp cloth or a heating pad on the injection site may help reduce soreness.
Always consult your child’s doctor if your child is suffering from any kind of illness before getting your child vaccinated.
Booster doses are generally not recommended. However, booster shots may be given to people with compromised immunity. These shots help achieve the threshold antibody levels.
Hepatitis B is diagnosed with blood tests. For chronic cases, radiological testing, as well as a liver biopsy may be needed.
References
Sources and references
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccine Information Statement. Hepatitis B Vaccine: What You Need to Know. 2019. view
Oxford Vaccine Group. Hepatitis B Vaccine. . view
Healthy Children. Hepatitis B Vaccine: What Parents Need to Know. . view
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center: Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Hepatitis B in Children: Symptoms and Treatment. view
Stanford Children’s Health. Hepatitis B Virusin Children. view
World Health Organisation. Frequently asked questions on Hepatitis B vaccination in China. 2014. view
Healthy Children. Immunizations For Preterm Babies. . view
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Viral Hepatitis: Hepatitis D. . view
HIV/AIDS Treatment Guidelines. Drug Database: Hepatitis B Vaccine. view
