Changing patterns of hepatitis A prevalence within the Saudi population over the last 18 years.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the seroprevalence of Hepatitis A (HAV) amongst Saudi children and compare it with previously reported prevalence data from the same population.


METHODS
A total of 1357 students were randomly selected between the ages of 16 and 18 years (689 males and 668 females) from three different regions of Saudi Arabia (Madinah, Al-Qaseem, and Aseer) and tested for anti-HAV-IgG.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of anti-HAV-IgG among the study population was 18.6%. There was no difference between males and females but there was a significant difference in the seroprevalence (P = 0.0001) between the three different regions, with Madinah region showing the highest prevalence (27.4%). When classified according to socioeconomic status, lower class students had a prevalence of 36.6%, lower middle class 16.6%, upper middle class 9.6%, and upper class 5.9% (P = 0.0001). Comparing the current study results with those of previous studies in 1989 and 1997 involving the same population, there was a marked reduction in the overall prevalence of HAV from 52% in 1989, to 25% in 1997, to 18.6% in 2008 (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Over the last 18 years, there has been a marked decline in the prevalence of HAV in Saudi children and adolescents. The current low prevalence rates call for strict adherence to vaccination policies in high-risk patients and raises the question of a universal HAV vaccination program.
Al Faleh
Faleh
F
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia.
Al Shehri
Suliman
S
Al Ansari
Saleh
S
Al Jeffri
Mohammed
M
Al Mazrou
Yaqoub
Y
Shaffi
Ahmad
A
Abdo
Ayman-A
AA
D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G