[Prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis A infection in an HIV-infected French population].
BACKGROUND
There are common risk factors between hepatitis A virus (HAV) and human immuno deficiency virus (HIV) infections.


OBJECTIVE
We tried to evaluate if HIV-infected patients could be at risk for HAV. More over, HAV could worsen prognosis of HIV infection and HAV vaccination was then to be considered. Thus we assessed the prevalence and risk factors of HAV infection in an HIV-infected population.


METHODS
Seroprevalence and risk factors for HAV were studied among 154 HIV-positive patients followed in a Parisian hospital (mean age: 42 years, male patients: 70.8%, female patients: 29.2%). They were screened for HAV antibodies and answered a questionnaire on risk factors for HAV and means of HIV contamination.


RESULTS
The global prevalence was 72.7% [IC95%: 65.7-79.7]. We excluded patients who were born in highly endemic areas where seroprevalence reached 60% [IC95%: 51.2-70]. The HAV seroprevalence was almost 100% in migrants from highly endemic countries and for those born before 1946. The multivariate analysis showed that risk factors were the geographic origin [OR=20.88; IC95%: 2.40-181], age [OR = 2.33; IC95%: 1.24-4.39], and hemophilia [OR = 13.78; IC95%: 1.34-141].


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that a screening test for HAV antibodies should be performed before vaccination, especially in HIV-infected patients born after 1946 or in non-endemic countries.
Brunet
A
A
Service de médecine interne 2, hôpital Cochin-Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, université René-Descartes, 27, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Jacques, 75679 Paris cedex 14, France.
Grabar
S
S
Blanche
P
P
Héripret-Fredouille
L
L
Spiridon
G
G
Calboreanu
A
A
Rollot
F
F
Launay
O
O
Sicard
D
D
Salmon-Céron
D
D
Abad
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies