Control of a community-wide outbreak of hepatitis A by mass vaccination with inactivated hepatitis A vaccine.
The epidemiology and control of hepatitis A virus was investigated during an outbreak of hepatitis A in a village in Israel. Postexposure administration of immune globulin to contacts was ineffective in controlling the outbreak. However, within 2 weeks of starting a mass immunization campaign with hepatitis A vaccine, the incidence of hepatitis A declined dramatically; the last case occurred 6 weeks after the immunization program began. The study demonstrated that while postexposure administration of immune globulin may diminish but not entirely arrest transmission of hepatitis A virus, active hepatitis A vaccination is a safe and effective intervention that can be used safely in hepatitis A virus antibody-positive children.
Zamir
C
C
Jerusalem District Health Office, Ministry of Health, Israel. hdrzamir@matat.health.gov.il
Rishpon
S
S
Zamir
D
D
Leventhal
A
A
Rimon
N
N
Ben-Porath
E
E
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D014611:Vaccination; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000276:immunology
D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated