New Recommendations for Use of Hepatitis A Vaccine in Children

Target Population: Children aged ≥1 year living in the U.S.

Type: An update of CDC guidelines published in 2006 (MMWR Recomm Rep 2006; 55:1)

Background: Although hepatitis A can be disabling in adults, it is usually mild or asymptomatic in young children; outbreaks in day-care settings may not be detected until adult contacts become jaundiced. Two single-antigen hepatitis A vaccines, Havrix and Vaqta, received FDA approval (in 1995 and 1996, respectively) for individuals ≥2 years of age. These vaccines are made from formalin-inactivated virus grown in cell culture and are administered intramuscularly. (A combined hepatitis A/hepatitis B vaccine, Twinrix, is not licensed for children.) Ini…