THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- The number of children ages
12 months to 23 months immunized against hepatitis A increased in
the United States, and rates of hepatitis A reached a record low
after new vaccination recommendations were issued a few years ago,
a new federal report says.
Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease than can cause mild
illness lasting for a few weeks or severe illness lasting several
months.
In 2006, the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices recommended routine hepatitis A vaccination for all
children ages 12-23 months, regardless of risk category or
location. The recommendation was issued after the minimum age for
which the vaccine was licensed was lowered to 12 months from the
previous minimum of 24 months.
In the new study, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
researchers analyzed data from eight Immunization Information
System sentinel sites across the country and found that average
hepatitis A vaccination coverage with one dose for children ages 12
to 23 months increased from 17 percent in 2006 to 47 percent in
2009. Average full vaccination coverage with two doses for children
ages 12 to 23 months increased from 1 percent in 2006 to 15 percent
in 2009.
The rate of increase for vaccination coverage was greatest in
2006 and the first quarter of 2007, but the rate of increase then
slowed and coverage has plateaued, the researchers said.
The incidence of hepatitis A in the United States reached a
historic low in 2007, the most recent year for which data are
available.
While a single dose of hepatitis A vaccine is highly effective,
a second dose should be given for long-term protection, the
researchers noted.
The researchers wrote that "immunization programs and vaccine
providers should encourage children to receive hepatitis A vaccine,
beginning at age 12 months. Reminder/recall notification and school
or child-care entry vaccination requirements might contribute to
increased vaccination coverage. Continued monitoring is needed to
assess the trend in completion of the hepatitis A vaccine series
among children."
The study appears in the July 2 issue of the CDC's
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about
hepatitis A.