title: Seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus infection in persons with HIV infection in Taiwan: implications for hepatitis A vaccination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively determine the prevalence of anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibody in HIV-positive persons with different routes of HIV exposure and to describe its characteristics in order to guide vaccination policy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of anti-HAV antibody was compared between 1580 HIV-positive persons seeking medical attention and 2581 HIV-negative controls seeking health check-ups, who had undergone anti-HAV tests between 2004 and 2007. Comparisons were also made among groups of the HIV-positive patients who had acquired HIV via different routes of transmission. A multivariate logistic regression model was built to identify independent variables associated with anti-HAV seropositivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of anti-HAV antibody was 60.9% in the HIV-positive and 48.0% in the controls (p<0.001). The overall adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for positive anti-HAV antibody was 2.604 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.106-3.219) in HIV-positive persons compared with HIV-negative persons. In addition, HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), heterosexuals, and injecting drug users (IDU) all had significantly higher AOR for positive anti-HAV antibody than HIV-negative persons. In HIV-positive persons, older age (AOR 1.284, 95% CI 1.246-1.322) and IDU (AOR 5.137, 95% CI 3.499-7.542) were independently associated with an increased prevalence of anti-HAV antibody. Nearly 90% of the IDU had become seropositive for HAV after age 36-40 years, compared with heterosexuals and MSM after age 46-50 years, and controls after age 51-55 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that age groups to be targeted for HAV vaccination vary with the different routes of HIV exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Hsiang-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: Ya-Chi
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Yu-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Mao-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wang-Huei
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Szu-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wen-Chun
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chien-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Shan-Chwen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies