VHPB Technical meeting: Addressing Hepatitis A in Europe in 2026 – Challenges, Strategies, and Opportunities
LIST OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THIS ACTIVITY
- Review the current HAV epidemiological landscape, burden of disease and immunity gaps in the WHO-Euro region. Analyse trends in incidence, outbreaks, and immunity gaps, highlighting key risk groups and regional disparities.
- Discuss transmission risks and diagnosis. Assess the role of travel, migration, and foodborne exposure in shaping HAV risk, and discuss interventions such as risk-based screening, pre-travel vaccination and increasing public awareness.
- Compare and evaluate national HAV prevention strategies and outcomes. Examine the impact of universal and targeted vaccination (e.g. food handlers, MSM, teachers, travellers…), with lessons learned from country/regional case studies to identify good practices and implementation gaps.
- Assess long-term protection. Review current evidence on the durability of immunity following vaccination.
- Promote evidence-based, cost-effective policymaking for HAV prevention. Highlight health economic evaluations and scientific evidence that can inform national policies, strengthen surveillance, and support alignment with WHO viral hepatitis elimination goals.
Mdeon visa 26/V2/15542/011093
Background document (pdf, 1 Mb)
Agenda (pdf, 0.288 Mb)
DAY 1 – 13 OCTOBER 2026
INTRODUCTION
Session 1: Opening and objectives of the meeting
| Chairs: Pierre Van Damme & Sema Mandal |
| Welcome words and Tour de Table Opening presentation, incl. introduction VHPB | meeting objectives Introduction of the participants |
Session 2: Viral hepatitis A in 2026 – Epidemiology and surveillance
| Sero prevalence and susceptibility to hepatitis A in the European Union and European Economic Area: a systematic review Pier Luigi Lopalco |
| HAV beyond Europe Noele Nelson |
Session 3: Hepatitis A surveillance and diagnosis
| Chairs: Rui Tato Marinho & Noele Nelson |
| Use of passive samplers as sewage surveillance tool (Monitoring a hepatitis A outbreak at a school in Amsterdam, the Netherlands) Remy Schilperoort |
| Hepatitis A virus testing and diagnostics: opportunities and challenges Sema Mandal |
| Population based research on the evidence for vaccination once in a lifetime Jaime Pérez Martin |
Session 4: Hepatitis A Vaccines
| Chairs: Sandra Dudareva & Angela Dominguez |
| Hepatitis A Vaccines – Update from SAGE Kassiani Mellou |
| Scientific evidence for the use of one dose Christian Herzog |
| Needs for achieving global immunity through vaccination Oana Săndulescu |
vhpb.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25ANT5.1_Pierre_1-5.pdf↗
Session 5: Economic analysis, Health Literacy and Vaccination Willingness
| Chairs: Thomas Vanwolleghem & Sema Mandal |
| Impact of Hepatitis A vaccination in Spain: Evolution of Hospitalization Pere Godoy |
| Viral hepatitis knowledge and vaccination awareness among men who have sex with men Sandra Dudareva |
| Thirty years of hepatitis A epidemiology and vaccine studies: A narrative review of lessons learned in Alaska – ScienceDirect Brian McMahon |
DAY 2 – 14 OCTOBER 2026
Session 6: Vaccination and outbreak policies
| Chairs: Sandra Dudareva |
Session 7: Groups Discussion
| Chairs: Greet Hendrickx |
| Groups debate – Lessons learnt Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control Recommendations |
Session 8: Summary and closing of the meeting
| Chairs: Pierre Van Damme |
| Meeting Summary David FitzSimons (VHPB rapporteur) |