[Sero-epidemiology of hepatitis A: alcoholic patients are a group at risk].
OBJECTIVE
The possibility of "community-acquired" viral infection has been suggested in alcoholics. In order to assess this hypothesis, we evaluated the prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis A virus, a oro-fecally transmitted virus, in heavy drinkers.


METHODS
We retrospectively studied 258 heavy drinkers, 188 males and 70 females, divided into sub-groups of increasing age, and compared them to 277 similarly classified blood donors.


RESULTS
The prevalence of serum anti-hepatitis A antibodies was significantly higher in alcoholics than in controls (64.7 vs 52.3%, P < 0.01). The difference was particularly marked in patients younger than 45 years old (56.2 vs 39.1%, P < 0.01). In the alcoholics, there was no correlation between the prevalence of anti-hepatitis A antibodies and the socioeconomic level, the quantity of alcohol ingested, or the severity of the underlying liver disease.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that alcoholism is, per se, a risk factor for viral infections.
Aparicio
T
T
Unité d'Hépatologie, INSERM U 99, Hôpital Necker, Paris.
Driss
F
F
Thépot
V
V
Hispard
E
E
Berthelot
P
P
Nalpas
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000821:virology*; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies
Séro-épidémiologie de l'hépatite A: les alcooliques sont un groupe à risque.