Prevention and control of hepatitis A

doi:10.1136/dtb.1994.3229

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 1994;32:9-11; doi:10.1136/dtb.1994.3229

Prevention and control of hepatitis A

Relevant BNF section: 14.4.5

Until recently, protection against hepatitis A has dependedon high standards of public health and hygiene, bolstered byselective passive immunisation of those at high risk of infectionusing human normal immunoglobulin (HNIG). The scope for prophylaxischanged in April 1992 with the introduction of a hepatitis Avaccine ( ${blacktriangledown}$ Havrix - SmithKline Beecham), which offers active immunisationand so longer and more effective protection than HNIG. In thisarticle we discuss the epidemiology of hepatitis A and the methodsof prevention and control of the infection. We also appraisethe vaccine and consider how it should be used.