Should all children be immunised against hepatitis A?
Given the recent US recommendation for vaccination of all children against hepatitis A, Temte (p 715) examines the evidence on hepatitis A epidemiology, childhood vaccinations, and issues relating to vaccine policy. The new recommendation is based on strong epidemiological evidence of its effectiveness but is compromised by the reduced prevalence of the virus thanks to the success of targeted vaccination. Temte warns that adding two more injections to an already crowded vaccination schedule may reduce compliance and increase the already high costs but concludes that the recommendation is probably justified.
