Infectious Diseases

Answer 2 Children prior to 1 year of age. Hepatitis A vaccine is an inactivated vaccine that should be administered intramuscularly (IM) into the deltoid muscle. The most common adverse effect of the vaccine is local injection site soreness, and serious adverse events are very rare. Based on the updated 2006 recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, all children should be vaccinated for hepatitis A at age 1 year (ie, age, 12-23 mo).1 Hepatitis A vaccination should be integrated into the routine childhood vaccination schedule. Children who are not vaccinated by age 2 years can be vaccinated at subsequent visits. Vaccination for hepatitis A is also recommended for the following groups: travelers to endemic areas, persons with chronic liver diseases, users of injection and noninjection illicit drugs, men who have sex with men, persons with occupational risk of infections (primate handlers, people working with HAV in a research setting), and persons with clotting factor disorders.1 REFERENCE 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention of hepatitis A through active or passive immunization. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2006;55:1-23. Click here to return to the questions

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