Position Statement on Hepatitis A and Vaccination

WHEREAS, the hepatitis A virus (HAV) is hardy and continuously reintroduced into the US;

WHEREAS, that HAV is an important illness, the scope of which has been underestimated;

WHEREAS, that outbreaks of HAV are still a threat that take a toll on all Americans;

WHEREAS, the incidence of hepatitis A is more common than hepatitis B or hepatitis C;

WHEREAS, incidence of hepatitis A goes beyond well-defined risk groups (e.g., people with chronic liver disease, travelers, men who have sex with men);

WHEREAS, hepatitis A is estimated to infect some 35,000 people a year;

WHEREAS, hepatitis A hospitalizes some 22% of those adults infected, an estimated 100 of whom die annually;

WHEREAS, children are a reservoir for hepatitis A infection and represent the single most important point of intervention in the effort to eliminate the transmission of the disease

WHEREAS, routine HAV vaccination of children to climinate community-wide HAV is a tactic that both works and is cost effective;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY ALF THAT:

• Education efforts should be increased to underscore the urgency of hepatitis A vaccination to at-risk groups (e.g., people with chronic liver disease, travelers, men who have sex with men);

• Policy makers should make hepatitis A vaccination universal for children nationwide;

• Education and advocacy should be pursued at the federal and state level to accomplish this;

• The American Liver Foundation will identify steps to promote this resolution.

Page updated: October 11th, 2007