Need for vaccination of susceptible food handlers against hepatitis A in Taiwan.
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.
Yu
M I
MI
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Lee
S D
SD
Lu
R H
RH
Chan
C Y
CY
Wang
Y J
YJ
Chang
F Y
FY
Lo
K J
KJ
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
D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines