title: Trends and risk factors for hepatitis A in NSW, 2000-2009: the trouble with travel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse trends in hepatitis A notifications and information on exposure to risk factors, in particular international travel, collected through routine surveillance in NSW.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hepatitis A notification data for the period 2000-2009 were extracted from the Notifiable Diseases Database and analysed by age group, gender, area of residence and exposure risk factors, including travel, food eaten and contact with other possible infectious cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The notification rate for hepatitis A in NSW fell from 3.0 cases per 100000 population in 2000 to 1.4 cases per 100000 population in 2009. Notification rates were highest among people aged 20-24 years and residents of metropolitan Sydney. Travel to a country where hepatitis A is endemic was a risk exposure identified in 43% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  International travel to highly endemic countries continues to be the most common risk factor for hepatitis A infection notified in NSW despite recommendations that travellers be vaccinated prior to travel to these areas.
authors.affiliation: NSW Public Health Officer Training Program, NSW Ministry of Health, Australia. efree@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Siranda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torvaldsen
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: C Raina
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: MacIntyre
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018563:Disease Notification; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D014195:Travel; D055815:Young Adult