Hepatitis A Information for Health Professionals

Information on hepatitis A for health professionals, including disease facts, clinical and vaccine information, immunization schedules, reporting, and treatment of cases and contacts.

On this page:
Disease facts
Clinical features, testing and reporting
Post-exposure prophylaxis
Vaccine information
Other resources

Disease facts

• Hepatitis A Virus (HAV): Quick Reference Guide for Health Care Professionals
  Hepatitis A reference guide adapted from the CDC.
• CDC: Hepatitis A
  Information on the basics of hepatitis A including symptoms, spread, prevention, vaccination and treatment.
• About Hepatitis A
  Basic fact sheets about hepatitis A and vaccination, including materials that you can give to patients.

Clinical features, testing and reporting

• Hepatitis A Clinical Information
  Basic information on hepatitis A for health professionals, including epidemiology, communicability, post-exposure prophylaxis, and treatment of cases and contacts.
• Reporting Hepatitis A
  All cases of hepatitis A must be reported to the Minnesota Department of Health. Find out what needs to be reported, who needs to report diseases, which forms to use and where to find out more about the disease.

Post-exposure prophylaxis

In February 2018, the CDC: Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend hepatitis A vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis for all persons age 12 months and older. Those over age 40 years may also receive IG in addition to the hepatitis A vaccine, but consideration should be given to risk of the exposed person such as type of exposure, immunocompetence of the individual, etc.

• CDC Update: Recommendations of the ACIP for Use of Hepatitis A Vaccine for Postexposure Prophylaxis and for Preexposure Prophylaxis for International Travel
  Publication of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) changes published November 2018.
• CDC: Sources for IG and HBIG
  Information from CDC on how to obtain IG.

Vaccine information

• CDC: Immunization Schedules
  Immunization schedules and guidance including child, adolescent, and adult schedules, job aids and immunization schedule apps.
• CDC: Hepatitis A VIS
  CDC's Vaccine Information Statement available in English and other languages.
• CDC: Hepatitis A ACIP Vaccine Recommendations
  CDC listing of recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Other resources on hepatitis A

• CDC: Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Hepatitis A
  "The Pink Book" chapter on hepatitis A.
• CDC: Travelers Health: Hepatitis A
  CDC information on hepatitis A and international travel.
• Travel Health
  International travel information from MDH, including lists of vaccines recommended for various countries around the world. Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for travelers to a number of countries.
• CDC Viral Hepatitis - Training Resources
  A list of online training resources from CDC and other external organizations on viral hepatitis.