title: Need for vaccination of susceptible food handlers against hepatitis A in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the improvement in the socioeconomic situation and general hygiene standards in Taiwan, the prevalence of antibodies to the hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) in the general population has declined markedly in recent years. To avoid food-borne outbreaks of HAV infection caused by susceptible food handlers in Taiwan, we investigated the seroprevalence of anti-HAV among the target population and also evaluated the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of the inactivated hepatitis A vaccine in this study group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and forty-four food handlers employed in four restaurants at Taipei Veterans General Hospital participated in the anti-HAV serologic screening program in July 1997. Of them, 48 susceptible food handlers received three doses of 720 enzyme-linked immunosorbent units of inactivated hepatitis A vaccine at 0, 1 and 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 244 food handlers who underwent anti-HAV serologic screening, 169 (69.3%) were anti-HAV positive. The seroprevalence of anti-HAV was related to age: 91.5% of food handlers over 30 years of age were positive for anti-HAV but only 22.8% of food handlers younger than 30 were anti-HAV positive. Anti-HAV response was observed in all vaccinees after a booster vaccination at month 6. The response persisted to 1 year. The side-effects of the vaccinations were minimal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Susceptible food handlers should receive hepatitis A vaccination. Hepatitis A vaccine is safe and immunogenic in this target population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: F Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D005511:Food Handling; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines