Declining hepatitis A antibody seroprevalence in the Korean military personnel.
We retrospectively analyzed serological test results for anti-hepatitis A virus immunoglobulin G (anti-HAV IgG) of sera collected from 779 military personnel during January 2001 to May 2008. The overall seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG of the subjects was 17.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.8-20.1%). When adjusted to the age-specific distribution of the army population, the age-adjusted seroprevalence was 14.6% (95% CI, 13.0-16.3%). All subjects who were 40 years and over had anti-HAV IgG. Meanwhile, the seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG for those 24 years and younger was 4.7%. This low prevalence rate among young military personnel calls for stricter adherence to vaccination policies and stronger requirements for military HAV vaccination programs.
Lee
Chang-Seop
CS
Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
Kwon
Keun-Sang
KS
Koh
Dai-Ha
DH
Youm
Jung-Ho
JH
Gwack
Jin
J
Lee
Ju-Hyung
JH
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G