title: Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A and hepatitis B virus infection in a Gurkha community in Singapore.
abstract: The overall prevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection among the Gurkhas and their families stationed in Singapore was 83.2%, with antibody to HAV detected in 67 (38.1%) of 176 children under 5 years of age, 121 (76.6%) of 158 children between 5 and 14 years, and 600 (97.9%) of 613 older children and adults over age 15 years. Children born in Singapore (102/223 or 45.7%) had a significantly lower crude prevalence than those born in Nepal (85/110 or 77.3%) (P < 0.000001). The age-adjusted difference in prevalence was also statistically significant (P < 0.001). Susceptible children had a high risk of acquiring HAV infection when they travelled to Nepal. As for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 2.8%, with a higher rate in males (20/560 or 3.6%) than in females (6/384 or 1.6%). The highest HBsAg prevalence (4/26 or 15.4%) was in young adult Gurkhas 15-19 years of age. No significant difference in the crude prevalence of HBV markers was noted between children born in Singapore (45/224 or 20.1%) and those born in Nepal (19/107 or 17.8%). Even after age adjustment, the difference remained insignificant. The prevalence of HBV markers of children of seropositive parents (27/156 or 17.3%) was not significantly higher than that of seronegative parents (19/131 or 14.5%). Married men had a significantly higher age-adjusted prevalence of infection than unmarried men (45.4% and 32.4%, respectively; P < 0.05). Seropositivity of one spouse was significantly correlated with the seropositivity of the other (P < 0.05), suggesting a role for heterosexual transmission of HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Quarantine and Epidemiology Department, Ministry of the Environment, Singapore.
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Heng
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Oon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology