Time to Reconsider Hepatitis A Vaccination in Food Handlers: Are We Seeing More Outbreaks and Severe Disease?

Abstract

The risk for secondary infection from hepatitis A-infected food handlers to patrons is deemed as low. Thus, hepatitis A vaccination is not specifically recommended for persons who handle food in the absence of other risk factors in the United States. We describe an ongoing food handler-associated hepatitis A outbreak in southwest Virginia and recommend policy changes that will incentivize food industry employers to embrace broader food handler hepatitis A vaccination.

Keywords: food handlers; hepatitis A; vaccination.