Achieving global immunity against hepatitis A through universal vaccination : a position paper from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Viral Hepatitis
(2026) In Clinical Microbiology and Infection 32(3). p.416-426- Abstract
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) remains a preventable cause of acute viral hepatitis, with an estimated 159 million new infections and 39 000 deaths in 2019. Although improved care and hygiene reduced deaths, global incidence rose by approximately 4%, driven by increased symptomatic cases and population growth. The availability of safe and highly immunogenic vaccines and the absence of chronic carriage make HAV uniquely amenable to global eradication. Scope This position paper, developed by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Viral Hepatitis, analysed current epidemiology, vaccine performance, economic evidence, and operational experience to articulate a time-bound strategic framework for... (More)
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) remains a preventable cause of acute viral hepatitis, with an estimated 159 million new infections and 39 000 deaths in 2019. Although improved care and hygiene reduced deaths, global incidence rose by approximately 4%, driven by increased symptomatic cases and population growth. The availability of safe and highly immunogenic vaccines and the absence of chronic carriage make HAV uniquely amenable to global eradication. Scope This position paper, developed by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Viral Hepatitis, analysed current epidemiology, vaccine performance, economic evidence, and operational experience to articulate a time-bound strategic framework for eradicating HAV through universal childhood immunisation supplemented by targeted catch-up, outbreak-response, and high-risk group programmes. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed databases from inception to May 2025. The search strategy incorporated explicit terms related to HAV and vaccine effectiveness, implementation, and public health outcomes. The methodology adhered to established standards for developing evidence-based recommendations that were evaluated and refined through expert panel discussions within the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Viral Hepatitis, ensuring methodological transparency, accuracy, and alignment with current scientific evidence. Questions addressed by the position paper and recommendations To evaluate vaccine effectiveness, the following primary outcomes were considered: HAV infection rates, seroconversion rates, long-term immunogenicity, safety outcomes, outbreak control effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, barriers to vaccine implementation, strategies to enhance vaccine availability and uptake, and overall public health impact. Drawing on lessons from countries that have reduced hepatitis A by '95%, this document proposes policy actions to overcome barriers related to vaccine cost, production capacity, programme logistics, and vaccine hesitancy. The paper concludes that with concerted political commitment and incremental scale-up of vaccine supply, the global elimination of hepatitis A as a public health threat, and its eventual eradication, is achievable within a defined time frame.
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- author
- Săndulescu, Oana ; Mantovani, Stefania ; Roque-Afonso, Anne Marie ; Sahin, Gülsen Özkaya LU ; Rajan, Asha K. ; Altındiş, Mustafa ; Miron, Victor Daniel ; Küçükkaya, Sertaç and Mondelli, Mario U.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-03
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Elimination, Global immunisation, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis A vaccine, Hepatitis A virus
- in
- Clinical Microbiology and Infection
- volume
- 32
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 11 pages
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105025165050
- pmid:41319806
- ISSN
- 1198-743X
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.cmi.2025.11.026
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors.
- id
- 14659a9a-1ec5-4ce7-b6a9-d87c3db108fe
- date added to LUP
- 2026-02-26 14:58:03
- date last changed
- 2026-06-06 08:12:57
@article{14659a9a-1ec5-4ce7-b6a9-d87c3db108fe,
abstract = {{<p>Hepatitis A virus (HAV) remains a preventable cause of acute viral hepatitis, with an estimated 159 million new infections and 39 000 deaths in 2019. Although improved care and hygiene reduced deaths, global incidence rose by approximately 4%, driven by increased symptomatic cases and population growth. The availability of safe and highly immunogenic vaccines and the absence of chronic carriage make HAV uniquely amenable to global eradication. Scope This position paper, developed by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Viral Hepatitis, analysed current epidemiology, vaccine performance, economic evidence, and operational experience to articulate a time-bound strategic framework for eradicating HAV through universal childhood immunisation supplemented by targeted catch-up, outbreak-response, and high-risk group programmes. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed databases from inception to May 2025. The search strategy incorporated explicit terms related to HAV and vaccine effectiveness, implementation, and public health outcomes. The methodology adhered to established standards for developing evidence-based recommendations that were evaluated and refined through expert panel discussions within the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Viral Hepatitis, ensuring methodological transparency, accuracy, and alignment with current scientific evidence. Questions addressed by the position paper and recommendations To evaluate vaccine effectiveness, the following primary outcomes were considered: HAV infection rates, seroconversion rates, long-term immunogenicity, safety outcomes, outbreak control effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, barriers to vaccine implementation, strategies to enhance vaccine availability and uptake, and overall public health impact. Drawing on lessons from countries that have reduced hepatitis A by '95%, this document proposes policy actions to overcome barriers related to vaccine cost, production capacity, programme logistics, and vaccine hesitancy. The paper concludes that with concerted political commitment and incremental scale-up of vaccine supply, the global elimination of hepatitis A as a public health threat, and its eventual eradication, is achievable within a defined time frame.</p>}},
author = {{Săndulescu, Oana and Mantovani, Stefania and Roque-Afonso, Anne Marie and Sahin, Gülsen Özkaya and Rajan, Asha K. and Altındiş, Mustafa and Miron, Victor Daniel and Küçükkaya, Sertaç and Mondelli, Mario U.}},
issn = {{1198-743X}},
keywords = {{Elimination; Global immunisation; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis A vaccine; Hepatitis A virus}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{416--426}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Clinical Microbiology and Infection}},
title = {{Achieving global immunity against hepatitis A through universal vaccination : a position paper from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Viral Hepatitis}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2025.11.026}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.cmi.2025.11.026}},
volume = {{32}},
year = {{2026}},
}