[Hepatitis A virus immune status of Antilles military personnel: incidence after prophylaxis].
The purpose of this study was to ascertain the value of systematic vaccination of recruits from French overseas departments and territories (DOM-TOM) against hepatitis A. Between July 1994 and May 1995 tests to defect anti-HVA antibodies were performed on all new recruits from the French West Indies (Guadeloupe and Martinique). Of the 1685 subjects tested 346 presented type IgG anti-HVA antibodies, i.e. 20.5% overall. Seroprevalence increased from 4% in 18 year-olds to 35% in 25 year-olds and was significantly higher in recruits from Gaudeloupe (26.7%) than from Martinique (15.6%) (p < 0.001). The overall seroprevalence rate was similar to the rate observed in young recruits from mainland France in 1990. These findings indicate that hepatitis A has decreased in the French West Indies in agreement with improvements with sanitary and housing conditions. This study also supports vaccination of recruits from DOM-TOM against hepatitis A after control of their immune status.
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Laboratoire de Biologie, Direction Inter-Armées du SSA aux Antilles et en Guyane, Fort de France, Martinique.
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019430:Guadeloupe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008395:Martinique / Q000453:epidemiology; D008889:Military Personnel; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014611:Vaccination; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines