Update on Hepatitis A Virus Vaccine

Currently, hepatitis A virus (HAV) circulates in most regions of the world and is a serious worldwide public health problem. Our country is currently undergoing a rapid transition from being a developing country to becoming a developed country, as socioeconomic, housing, and environmental-sanitation conditions continue to improve. Although not previously recognized, the rates of anti-HAV seroprevalence in South Korea began to undergo marked changes at least 20 similar to 30 years ago. These changes, however desirable, ironically put most of today's adolescents and young adults at an increased risk of developing symptomatic HAV infections. Furthermore, HAV-associated illness in these populations in South Korea actually result in high morbidity rates in these age groups. The recent Korea Center for Disease Control Sentinel Surveillance System tells a potential endemic nature of the hepatitis A infection. The initiative to increase the proportion of children receiving currently available HAV vaccines should continue. Indicating which occupations in South Korea are associated with the highest levels of risk for HAV infection is important. Furthermore, adolescents and young adults who are not immune, as well as persons in other high-risk groups, should be vaccinated.