Vaccines
In Belgium, the hepatitis B-vaccine is recommended for infants and adolescents, certain categories of patients, certain categories of workers, people travelling to certain destinations and certain risk groups. The vaccine against hepatitis B also protects people indirectly against hepatitis D.
The vaccine against hepatitis A virus is primarily recommended for people travelling to endemic areas, for MSM, (men who have sex with men), for certain categories of patients and for people who work in the food industry.
There is no vaccine against the hepatitis C virus. An HCV infection is therefore prevented by reducing the risk of exposure to the virus (preventative measures when injecting drugs and during sexual relations.
A vaccine against the hepatitis E virus has been approved in China, but it was not authorised for the European market.
Screening
Screening is important for the prevention of hepatitis B and hepatitis C. For more information, see the ‘Diagnosis’ web page.
Other preventative measures
To prevent hepatitis A and E, hand hygiene and food hygiene are of vital importance. In the case of hepatitis E, particular types of meat (pork, game etc.) must also be avoided if they are not prepared correctly.
The prevention of hepatitis B and C also hinges on the promotion of safe sex practices (the use of condoms etc.) and sterile equipment for people who inject or snort drugs (needle and syringe exchange programmes, and substitution treatment programmes for opiates).
There is also a prophylactic treatment for preventing the transfer of hepatitis B from mother to child.
Finally, the treatment of infected patients is also an effective way to prevent the transfer of these infections.