[Seroprevalence of hepatitis A in hospitalized patients in Limoges University Hospital].
OBJECTIVE
Age-specific prevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibodies (IgG and IgM anti HAV).


METHODS
For eight years between 1994 and 2002, 15 329 hospitalized patients were tested.


RESULTS
The prevalence of anti HAV according to age group was as follows: 20 to 29: 28.5%; 30 to 39: 47.4%; 40 to 49: 64.8%; 50 to 59: 82.1%; more than 90% after 60 years old and 97% in patients older than 80. This was not a cross sectional seroepidemiological investigation because serum samples were selected by prescription especially among children. Recent HAV infections as shown by IgM positivity (136 patients) was observed among all age groups, particularly before ten years old (28.7%), but was still significant after sixty (19.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
The age-specific seroprevalence of HAV antibodies compared with previous French prevalence data revealed a good correlation with results obtained in West-Central region and in national investigations in general populations but more elevated than observed in French recruits.
Denis
François
F
Service de Bactériologie-Virologie-Hygiène, EA 3175, 2, avenue Martin Luther King, CHU Dupuytren, 87042 Limoges. fdenis@unilim.fr
Delpeyroux
Christian
C
Debrock
Caroline
C
Rogez
Sylvie
S
Alain
Sophie
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M