Hepatitis A booster vaccination: is there a need?
Hepatitis A is one of the most common vaccine-preventable infectious diseases in the world. Effective vaccines against hepatitis A have been available since 1992, and they provide long-term immunity against the infection. However, there is no worldwide consensus on how long protection will last or whether there will be a need for hepatitis A virus (HAV) booster vaccinations in the future. In most countries, booster-vaccination policy is guided by manufacturers' recommendations, national authorities, or both. In June, 2002, a panel of international experts met to review the long-term immunogenicity and protection conferred by HAV vaccine in different population groups. Data have shown that after a full primary vaccination course, protective antibody amounts persist beyond 10 years in healthy individuals, and underlying immune memory provides protection far beyond the duration of anti-HAV antibodies. The group concluded that there is no evidence to lend support to HAV booster vaccination after a full primary vaccination course in a healthy individual. However, further investigations are needed before deciding if boosters can be omitted in special patient-groups.
Van Damme
P
P
Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, WHO Collaborating Centre for Control and Prevention of Viral Hepatitis, Unit of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Antwerp, 2610 , Antwerp, Belgium. pierre.vandamme@ua.ac.be
Banatvala
J
J
Fay
O
O
Iwarson
S
S
McMahon
B
B
Van Herck
K
K
Shouval
D
D
Bonanni
P
P
Connor
B
B
Cooksley
G
G
Leroux-Roels
G
G
Von Sonnenburg
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007117:Immunization, Secondary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant
D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines