[Hepatitis vaccination of adults]

Active and passive immunization are the mainstay of hepatitis A and B prevention. The indication for active hepatitis B vaccination is acknowledged in adults travelling or working in endemic areas. Passive hepatitis A prevention with immunoglobulins is now indicated only in exceptional cases. While adolescents in Switzerland aged between 11 and 15 years will in future undergo general hepatitis B vaccination, in adults the indication is confined to risk groups. These are principally medical personnel or other groups in close contact with infected persons. Hepatitis B immunoglobulin prophylaxis remains confined to high-risk cases. No active vaccine against hepatitis C is to be expected in the foreseeable future.