hep a & b help....

sb3

if i have been immunized against hep a and b do i need to do it again or get a booster?
i've been told and have read (CDC) conflicting information i guess cause my vaccination history is not uniform with their studies. so here it is if anyone can help:

hep a - stamped twice in 1997 (2 stamps but i doubt i got two shots in one day?)
- again in 2001

hep b - got the full course (3 shots) in 1994-1995
- got two more in 2001

so am i good to go???
(and could you explain why?)

Wanderer22

I'm not an M.D., but from what I've read and heard vaccines for hepatitis protect quite a while, possibly life long. I caught Hep-A in India during the 70's and it's definately something to avoid. Sure wish they had vaccines back then. The disease takes about a month from infection to when symptoms show up. I figure that Kolkata was where I picked it up. A month later I collapsed on the side walk in Mumbai. Being a virus there is not much in the way of treatment.... Rest, no fatty foods, NO booze. Fast forward 30 years and my doctors now tell me that I have a rare liver problem that will likely mean a transplant or a trip to the burning ghats in a few years. Are the two problems related? Who knows?
Hope I've scared a few people into protecting themselves with the vaccines.
Wanderer22

Web search turned up the following,

Although one dose of vaccine provides at least short-term protection, the manufacturers currently recommend two doses to ensure long-term protection. In studies evaluating the duration of protection of two or more doses of hepatitis A vaccine, 99%–100% of vaccinated individuals had levels of antibody indicative of protection five to eight years after vaccination. Kinetic models of antibody decay indicate that the duration of protection is likely to be at least 20 years, and possibly lifelong. Post-marketing surveillance studies are needed to monitor vaccine-induced long-term protection, and to determine the need for booster doses of vaccine. This is especially true in areas of low disease endemicity where natural boosting does not occur.

Ben

The only way to tell is to have a bloodtest in order to check your
antibodies for hep a & b and then get a booster if necessary.
Good luck

republicofcharas

just get a booster somewhere thats cheap (ie bkk). only can help...