title: Prevalence of antibody to the hepatitis A virus in a large institution for the mentally retarded.
abstract: The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) was determined in 854 people living in a large institution for the mentally retarded in Melbourne. Altogether 638 (74.4%) of the subjects were found to have specific antibody detectable by solid-phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA). No difference in antibody prevalence was observed between males and females; however, the prevalence was higher among subjects with Down syndrome (84.1%) than those of other forms of mental retardation (72.8%). In both groups there was an increase in prevalence of antibody with increasing age and duration of institutionalization. When compared with the open community, patients in this institution have a higher prevalence of antibody and appear to acquire their infections at an earlier age.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral