3k.10 What groups at risk are be included in a recommendation to receive hepatitis A vaccination?
Description
This article is from the Childhood Vaccinations FAQ, by Lynn Gazis-Sax lynng@alsirat.com with numerous contributions by others.
3k.10 What groups at risk are be included in a recommendation to receive hepatitis A vaccination?
ACIP recommends the vaccine for:
1. Persons 2 years of age or older traveling or working in countries
with high or intermediate endemicity of infection. The
vaccine series should be started at least one month before travelling.
2. Persons living in communities with high rates of HAV infection; for
example, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific
Islander, and some religious communities.
3. Men who have sex with men.
4. People who use street drugs (injected or non-injected).
5. People who work with hepatitis A infected primates or with
hepatitis A in a research setting should be vaccinated. No other
groups have been shown to be at increased risk for hepatitis A due to
occupational exposure.
6. Persons with chronic liver disease.
7. Persons who use clotting factor concentrates.
8. Since people who work as food handlers can contract hepatitis A and
pass the disease to others, they may be vaccinated in
areas where state and local health authorities determine such
vaccination to be cost effective.
The AAP recommends the vaccine for the first six of the groups listed
above, and suggests consideration of potential use for child care
center staff and attendees, custodial care institutions, hospital
personnel, food handlers, and people with hemophilia.
In 1999, ACIP recommended hepatitis A vaccine for all children aged 2
years and older in the 11 Western states where incidence is especially
high (at least 20 cases per 100,000 people, twice the national
average). These states are: Arizona, Alaska, California, Idaho,
Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and
Washington.
Any healthy individual 2 years of older may receive hepatitis A
vaccine at the discretion of the physician and patient or parent.
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