[Seroepidemiologic survey of hepatitis A antibodies in the young adult Spanish population. Spanish Study Group on hepatitis A (1)].
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present was to study the rate of exposure to the hepatitis A virus (HAV) in the young adult Spanish population.


METHODS
A transversal observational study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies (IgG) in a representative sample of the Spanish population between the ages of 20-40 years. Information on demographic variables (age, place of residence, education, number of children and number of brothers or sisters) and history of hepatitis was collected. A blood sample was also obtained from the umbilical cord or heel of newborns. The level of total anti-HAV antibodies was measured by the ELISA method.


RESULTS
A total of 1,204 pregnant women the ages of 20-40 years with deliveries in 71 hospitals in 14 autonomic regions were included in the study. A total of 606 positive anti-HAV were reported representing a prevalence of 50.4% (CI 95% = 48-52%). The prevalence was seen to significantly increase in relation to age, from 39% (group from 20-25 years) up to 60% (groups from 31-35 and 36-40 years of age). The factors of "education" and "number of children" were not associated to greater risk of previous contact with HAV. A non significant increase in prevalence was observed in relation with "number of brothers or sisters of the parturient". 86.3% (CI 95% = 83-93) of the positive anti-HAV subjects reported not having had clinical history of hepatitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Half of the young Spanish adult population does not show antibodies against the hepatitis A virus, with an increase in morbidity by clinical hepatitis A being foreseen in this age group.
González
A
A
Departamentos de Investigación Clinica, Smithkline Beecham S.A. Madrid.
Bruguera
M
M
Calbo Torrecillas
F
F
Monge
V
V
Dal-Ré
R
R
Costa
J
J
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain
D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies
Encuesta seroepidemiológica de prevalencia de anticuerpos antihepatitis A en la población adulta joven española. Grupo Español de Estudio de las Hepatitis A (1).