Control of a community-wide outbreak of hepatitis A by mass vaccination with inactivated hepatitis A vaccine

The epidemiology and control of hepatitis A virus was investigated during a n outbreak of hepatitis A in a village in Israel. Postexposure administrati on of immune globulin to contacts was ineffective in controlling the outbre ak, However, within 2 weeks of starting a mass immunization campaign with h epatitis A vaccine, the incidence of hepatitis A declined dramatically; the last case occurred 6 weeks after the immunization program began. The study demonstrated that while postexposure administration of immune globulin may diminish but not entirely arrest transmission of hepatitis A virus, active hepatitis A vaccination is a safe and effective intervention that can be u sed safely in hepatitis A virus antibody-positive children.