P-290 Hepatitis a Vaccination and Food Handlers: A Literature-Based Risk Analysis

Introduction On the crossroads of public and occupational health, there is an issue of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection and vaccination of food handlers. Both the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain and the Superior Health Council of Belgium, “strongly” recommend the hepatitis A vaccine for food handlers. Methods For the purposes of evidence-based decision-making and public health management, I performed a literature-based risk analysis assessing the likelihood of transmission and the consequences of the infection to determine the level of risk. Results I concluded that the level of risk medium to high is, and very high for persons at risk with existing comorbidities. From the occupational health perspective, routine vaccination of all food handlers is not recommended, because their profession does not put them at higher risk for infection. It could cause a considerable burden on public health resources because of the high turnover rate of employees. Discussion First, efforts should be made to comply with and enforce the rules of the Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) in order to prevent cross-contamination and transmission of other potential foodborne pathogens for which there is currently no vaccine available. Secondly, there is some concern that vaccinating will create an impression that the risk of other foodborne diseases has been removed or reduced. Inclusion in the routine basic vaccination. Conclusions Personal hygiene and sanitation practices are critical to avoid (outbreaks of) foodborne illnesses. The retrieved risk could be a reason to encourage HAV vaccination among food handlers, but no strong recommendation.