Epidemiology and prevention of hepatitis A in countries with transitional economies based on the example of the Central American Region

• Karen K. Kyuregyan
• Margaret E. Ignatyeva
• Mikhaylov Mikhail I.

Abstract

This review presents the results of the analysis of the epidemiological situation of hepatitis A and the existing prevention measures in countries with transitional economies, with the example of the states of the Central American Integration System - Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Salvador. The transition from high to medium endemic for hepatitis A is characteristic for the countries of the Central American region, which leads to a decrease in the proportion of immune adolescents and adults, and creates the potential for growing morbidity and outbreaks. For such countries, WHO recommends the introduction of mass vaccination programs for children over 1 year of age against hepatitis A. Currently the program of vaccine prevention of hepatitis A exists only in Panama, but its implementation is constrained by the lack of available vaccine. In the rest of the countries of the region there are no vaccine preventive programs for hepatitis A. Epidemiological situation for hepatitis A in other countries with economies in transition is similar to observed in Central America, suggesting the need to develop and implement a program for mass vaccination of children against hepatitis A.

Keywords:hepatitis A, epidemiology, vaccine prevention, the Central American Integration System

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