title: [Immunity against hepatitis A in younger age groups and the basis for an immunization program].
abstract: The naturally acquired immunity to hepatitis A virus (HAV) in a sample of 305 children, aged up to 15 years, in the municipality of Ivanić-Grad amounted to 18.7%. The study was conducted in September 1989. Of those 305 children, 16.8% of the boys and 20.7% of the girls were positive. No statistically significant difference was observed with regard to sex (p < 0.01) (chi 2 = 1.4). Of the children aged up to two years, 47.4% were exposed to the hepatitis A virus. Seropositive for anti-HAV were 8.3% in the group from 2-3 years of age, 6.4% in those aged from 4-5 years, 15.9% in the group from 6-7 years of age, 6.8% in those aged from 8-9 years, 20.0% in the group from 10-11 years of age, 27.8% in those aged from 12-13 years, and 29.0% in the group from 14-15 years of age. The spread of the infection by contact was predominant, reflecting the socioeconomic standards of the studied community (p < 0.01) (chi 2 = 29.5). A relatively high prevalence of hepatitis A infection compared to that of the developed countries, the first peak immunity rates in first-graders, a low number of cases among infants aged up to 5 years (approximately 6.0%), availability of commercial vaccine, speak in favour of including hepatitis A vaccination into the obligatory community-wide immunization program. It appears that the target age for HAV vaccination would be the age of five.
authors.affiliation: Zavod za javno zdravstvo Zupanije grada Zagreba.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Puntarić
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vodopija
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Baklaić
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ljubicić
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017523:Croatia; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007114:Immunization; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies
vernacular_title: Imunitet na HAV mladih dobnih skupina osnova za program imunizacije.