Hepatitis A vaccines

The global disease burden associated with hepatitis A virus (HAV) is expected to increase in the coming years due to a shift in the epidemiological pattern of the disease. A decrease in the prevalence of natural immunity is leading to an increased number of adolescents and adults susceptible to a disease that is associated with greater morbidity, mortality and treatment costs in older-age groups. Current HAV vaccines have been shown to be safe, highly immunogenic and confer long-lasting protection against HAV disease. Vaccine-induced antibodies persist for more than 12 years in vaccinated adults and mathematical modeling predicts antibody persistence for more than 25 years in over 95% of vaccine recipients. However, the cost of HAV vaccines has been prohibitive for some countries. Recent studies in countries with transitioning HAV endemicity indicate that the cost–benefit ratio of mass vaccination against HAV would be similar to other routine childhood vaccinations.