Hepatitis A Vaccination and Prevention

High-Risk Populations and Vaccination Strategies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hepatitis A vaccination for all children aged 12-23 months, as well as for high-risk adult populations, including men who have sex with men, users of injection and non-injection illicit drugs, travelers to endemic areas, persons with chronic liver disease, and persons with clotting-factor disorders 1, 2, 3
The vaccine series must be completed according to the licensed schedule for long-term protection, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1, 2
Persons with chronic liver disease, including those awaiting or who have received liver transplants, should receive hepatitis A vaccination, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1, 5
Travelers to endemic areas should receive hepatitis A vaccination as soon as travel is considered, with optimal protection requiring starting vaccination as soon as travel is considered, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3

For travelers to endemic areas, protection can be assumed within 4 weeks after the first vaccine dose, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3
For travelers departing in <4 weeks, consider adding immune globulin (IG) 0.02 mL/kg at a different injection site for optimal protection, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2, 3
Persons recently exposed to HAV who have not previously received hepatitis A vaccine should receive IG (0.02 mL/kg) as soon as possible, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 8, 9

During community outbreaks, accelerated vaccination programs should be considered as an additional control measure, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 6, 10
Routine childhood vaccination programs have dramatically reduced large community outbreaks, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 6, 7
Limited outbreaks among high-risk adults require focused vaccination efforts, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 6, 10