Objective  To analyze the incidence of hepatitis A in Liaoning province from 2004 to 2016 and to examine the prevalence characteristics of hepatitis A before and after the inclusion of hepatitis A vaccine into the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) for providing evidences to effective prevention and control of hepatitis A.

  Methods  We extracted data on the prevalence of hepatitis A in Liaoning province between 2004 and 2016 through the National Information Management System for Disease Surveillance and analyze the data using descriptive epidemiological method.

  Results  After the inclusion of hepatitis A vaccine into the EPI in Liaoning province, the annual incidence of hepatitis A decreased from 5.75/100 000 to 3.47/100 000. There were still more reported hepatitis A cases in coastal areas such as Dandong and Dalian city. Higher incidence of hepatitis A was observed among the populations aged 25 – 39 years and the age of onset showed an increasing trend. After the inclusion of hepatitis A vaccine into the EPI, the hepatitis A incidence was lower than that before the inclusion among the 2 – 9 years old children. The male to female ratio for the reported cases declined from 2.17 : 1 to 1.73 : 1. The majority of the reported cases were farmers and the proportions of cases doing housework and being unemployed increased.

  Conclusion  Hepatitis A epidemic is still prevalent in coastal areas and the majority of reported hepatitis A cases are young adults after the inclusion of hepatitis A vaccine into the EPI in Liaoning province. The results suggest that control measures need to be promoted among young adults and in coastal areas in Liaoning province.