Is Evaluation of Hepatitis A Immunity Required or Not?

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is one of the most common causes of acute hepatitis and it is a serious health problem worldwide. HAV infection is a vaccine preventable disease that can produce the lifelong immunity seen in many developed countries with the vaccination schedule administered to children; however this vaccine is not used in developing countries at the present time. Improvements in food and water hygiene have caused a displacement of hepatitis A infection from children to adults which has increased mortality rates. Therefore evaluation of HAV immunity levels can help health authorities develop polices for prophylaxis especially in developing countries.

Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:
Although more people of in developing counties protective to HAV infection ,but in recent decade health improvements caused reduced its immunity in children so adult prone to life threatening infection ,therefore health austerities should be considered vaccination strategy for HAV in the future years also in developed countries HAV vaccination for children should be continued.

Please cite this paper as:
Ghorbani GA. Is evaluation of Hepatitis A Immunity Required or not? Hepat Mon. 2011;11(12):955-7. DoI: 10.5812/kowsar.1735143X.764