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Who should receive protection against hepatitis A before travel?
All susceptible persons traveling to or working in countries that have high or intermediate rates of hepatitis A should be vaccinated or receive immune globulin before traveling. Persons from developed countries who travel to developing countries are at high risk for hepatitis A. Such persons include tourists, military personnel, missionaries, and others who work or study abroad in countries that have high or intermediate levels of of hepatitis A. The risk for hepatitis A exists even for travelers to urban areas, those who stay in luxury hotels, and those who report that they have good hygiene and that they are careful about what they drink and eat.
How soon before travel should the first dose of hepatitis A vaccine be given?
For optimal protection, at least 4 weeks prior to travel. Check with your doctor about when the next dose is due.
What should be done if a person cannot receive hepatitis A vaccine?
Travelers who are allergic to a vaccine component or who elect not to receive vaccine should receive a single dose of immune globulin (0.02 mL/kg), which provides effective protection against hepatitis A virus infection for up to 3 months. Travelers whose travel period exceeds 2 months should be administered immune globulin at 0.06 mL/kg; administration must be repeated if the travel period exceeds 5 months.
If travel starts sooner than 4 weeks prior to the first vaccine dose, what should be done?
Because protection might not be optimal until 4 weeks after vaccination, persons traveling to a high-risk area less than 4 weeks after the initial dose of hepatitis A vaccine should also be given immune globulin (0.02 mL/kg), but at a different injection site. Therefore, the first dose of hepatitis A vaccine should be administered as soon as travel to a high-risk area is planned.
What should be done for travelers who are less than 2 years of age to protect them from hepatitis A virus infection?
Immune globulin is recommended for travelers less than 2 years of age because the vaccine is currently not licensed for use in this age group.
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