Combined hepatitis A and B vaccine: providing a bright future for preventing hepatitis.

The first combined hepatitis A and B vaccine has been available in the United States since 2001. The vaccine provides protection against viral hepatitis with rapid seroprotection and lasting immunogenicity. This review outlines the product's components, clinical efficacy and opportunities for use in special circumstances.

Screening for hepatitis A and B antibodies in patients with chronic liver disease.

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is highly prevalent, and hepatitis C is one of the leading causes. Acute hepatitis A or B in patients with chronic hepatitis C can lead to more severe hepatic injury and a higher fatality rate than in patients without hepatitis C. Thus, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recommend that persons with CLD be vaccinated against hepatitis A virus (HAV), and the ACIP and the National Institutes of Health recommend vaccination against both HAV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) in patients with chronic hepatitis C.