title: Current status of liver diseases in Korea: hepatitis A.
abstract: The seroprevalence of anti-HAV (hepatitis A virus) has been decreasing in Korea. The decrease in HAV infection in young adults has resulted in the reduction of individuals with protective antibody and an increase in hepatitis A in the adult population. The increase in HAV infection in adults will have an impact on the magnitude and severity of the disease. In Korea, symptomatic hepatitis A has been gradually increasing since the mid-1990s, with a tendency toward an increase in mean age and disease severity. The endemic genotype of HAV in Korea has been changing from genotype IA alone to a mixture of genotype IA and IIIA. Therefore, preventive measures including universal vaccination in infants and active immunization of the adult population should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. sykwonmd@hotmail.com
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines