Prevalence of hepatitis A virus risk factors in a very low endemic country, Switzerland.
We aimed to estimate the population-based lifetime exposure to guidelines-based hepatitis A virus (HAV) risk factors in a country model with very low HAV endemicity. A cross-sectional survey among randomly selected residents of Switzerland aged 20-60 years was performed assessing the HAV exposure risk according to the U.S. and the Swiss guidelines. The adjusted prevalence of lifetime exposure to HAV-associated risk exceeded 80% with travel being the most important risk factor. In addition, not only the HAV vaccination coverage was low but also lack of awareness was widespread. As projections indicate a further increase in travel volume resulting imported HAV infections with subsequent transmission among the resident population are a public health concern and a universal HAV vaccination strategy for HAV should be evaluated.
Division of Epidemiology and Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, CH-8001 Zurich, Switzerland.
Meichun
M
Mohler-Kuo
Robert
R
Steffen
Matthias
M
Bopp
R Jake
RJ
Jacobs
Margot
M
Mutsch
D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel