Thirty years of experience with infectious hepatitis prevention in the Israel Defence Forces

Abstract

Infectious hepatitis is endemic to Israel. Large outbreaks of infectious hepatitis were common in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) before 1970, at which time post-exposure prophylaxis with immune serum globulin was introduced. It caused a decrease in the incidence of infectious hepatitis from 10-14/1,000 to 3/1,000. A further reduction in incidence was achieved after 1978 when a policy of pre-exposure prophylaxis was established. The number of yearly outbreaks and cases per outbreak also declined as a result of this policy. Worldwide studies have shown that a policy of pre-exposure prophylaxis and/or post-exposure prophylaxis with immune serum globulin is effective in reducing the incidence of infectious hepatitis. The experience of the IDF is that a combination of both pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis is more efficacious. This policy should be worthwhile in other areas where infectious hepatitis is endemic.