European Journal of Public Health
Volume 19, Issue 3, 2009, Pages 240-244

Effect of Hepatitis A vaccination programs for migrant children on the incidence of Hepatitis A in the Netherlands (Article) (Open Access)

Suijkerbuijk A.W.M. , Lindeboom R. , Van Steenbergen J.E. , Sonder G.J.B. , Doorduyn Y.
  • a Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Netherlands Centre for Infectious Disease Control, RIVM, Bilthoven, Netherlands, Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, RIVM Bilthoven, Netherlands
  • b Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • c Preparedness and Response Unit, Netherlands Centre for Infectious Disease Control, RIVM Bilthoven, Netherlands
  • d National Coordination Center for Travelers Health Advice, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Public Health Service, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Academic Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine and AIDS, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • e Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Netherlands Centre for Infectious Disease Control, RIVM, Bilthoven, Netherlands

Abstract

Background: Since 1998 Municipal Public Health Services (MPHSs) in the Netherlands carried out Hepatitis A (HAV) vaccination programs for Turkish and Moroccan children to reduce import and secondary HAV infections. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the programs on HAV incidence. Methods: MPHSs were questioned about HAV vaccination programs for migrant children. Notification data of HAV over the period 19952006 were analysed. Results: Since 1998, 19 MPHSs (58) organized vaccination programs for Turkish and Moroccan children. A large variation in the range of activities in HAV vaccination programs was observed. In the Netherlands, HAV incidence declined, from 6.5 per 100 000 inhabitants in 1995 to 1.3 in 2005. HAV incidence in children of Turkish and Moroccan decent declined from 70.3 per 100 000 in 2000 to 13.5 per 100 000 in 2005. Regions where MPHSs organized vaccination campaigns had the steepest decline in HAV incidence. Conclusion: The decline in HAV incidence in the Netherlands coincided with that observed for the rest of Europe. Therefore, also other causes than the enhanced vaccination programs could have contributed to this effect. At present, low priority is placed on continuing these HAV vaccination programs, as in areas without enhanced programs the incidence also declined to very low levels. Because HAV is still endemic in Morocco and Turkey, it remains important that all travellers to these countries are vaccinated against HAV, regardless of their country of origin.

Author Keywords

Hepatitis A Vaccination risk factors child Incidence

Index Keywords

Netherlands human hepatitis A migrant bird controlled study priority journal morbidity Hepatitis A Vaccines health program school child Humans Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants preschool child Infant risk factor Risk Factors Child, Preschool Incidence Article Retrospective Studies major clinical study Turkey Immunization Programs vaccination hepatitis A vaccine Morocco Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-66249089809&doi=10.1093%2feurpub%2fckn145&partnerID=40&md5=ededea4b5508c4204c51e956035d2ac6
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckn145
ISSN: 11011262
Cited by: 15
Original Language: English