Journal List > Korean J Gastroenterol > v.55(3) > 1006640

Noh, Cho, Jun, Kim, Yun, Park, Lee, Ju, Kim, Choi, and Rew: Seroprevalence of IgG Anti-HAV in Hospital Employees below 40 Years Old

Abstract

Background/Aims

Hepatitis A is an acute infectious disease transmitted by fecal-oral route. As the incidence of hepatitis A has been increased in Gwangju and Chonnam province of Korea recently, the number of hepatitis A patients in hospital employees has also increased. Thus, we investigated the seroprevalence of IgG anti-HAV in hospital employees below 40 years old.

Methods

We analysed the seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG from 1,002 Chonnam national university hospital empolyees (men: 190, women: 812) who were below 40 years old. The age group was divided by 5 years; 21-25 years old 199 (19.9%), 26-30 years old 426 (42.5%), 31-35 years old 215 (21.5%), 36-40 years old 162 (16.1%).

Results

Overall seropositive rate of IgG anti-HAV was 32.8% (329/1,002). The seropositive rate of men was 40.5% (77/190) and that of women was 31.0% (252/812). The seropositive rates of each age group were 1.5% (3/199) in 21-25 years old, 21.6% (92/426) in 26-30 years old, 48.4% (104/215) in 31-35 years old, and 80.2% (130/162) in 36-40 years old. The seropositivity rate of the high risk group (doctors, nurses, technicians) was 28.9% (234/809).

Conclusions

The seropositive rate of IgG an-ti-HAV was the lowest in early twenties of hospital employees and below 50% in early thirties. Therefore, hepatitis A vaccination may be warranted in the hospital empolyees below the early thirties.

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Fig. 1.
IgG anti-HAV seropositive rates in the enrolled subjects according to the gender.
kjg-55-183f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Seroprevalence rate according to the age and gender distribution.
kjg-55-183f2.tif
Fig. 3.
Seroprevalence rate according to the occupations.∗ Others: pharmacists, officers in general business, janitor, dietitian, etc.
kjg-55-183f3.tif
Fig. 4.
IgG anti-HAV seropositive rates of potential high risk group (doctors, nurses and technicians) according to their ages.
kjg-55-183f4.tif
Table 1.
IgG Anti-HAV Seropositive Rates in the Enrolled Subjects according to the Gender
Age (yr) Sex (Male/Female) Number
21-25 8/191 199 (19.9%)
26-30 72/354 426 (42.5%)
31-35 69/146 215 (21.5%)
36-40 41/121 162 (16.1%)
Total 190/812 1,002
Table 2.
Comparison of Seroprevalence Rate according to the Age and Gender Distribution
Age (yr) Male   Female   p-value
21-25 0/8 (0.0%) 3/191 (1.6%) 0.884
26-30 10/72 (13.9%) 82/354 (23.2%) 0.052
31-35 34/69 (49.3%) 70/146 (47.9%) 0.485
36-40 33/41 (80.5%) 97/121 (80.2%) 0.446
Total 77/190 (40.5%) 252/812 (31.0%) 0.012
Table 3.
Comparison of Seroprevalence Rate according to the Occupations
Age (yr) Doctor Nurse Technician Others p-value
21-25 0/22 (0.0%) 3/146 (2.1%) 0/8 (0.0%) 0/23 (0.0%) 0.776
26-3031-35 16/110 (14.5%) 19/49 (38.8%) 57/227 (25.1%) 42/87 (48.3%) 5/39 (12.8%) 10/20 (50.0%) 14/50 (28.0%) 33/59 (55.9%) 0.049 0.365
36-40 9/15 (60.0%) 62/73 (84.9%) 11/13 (84.6%) 48/61 (78.7%) 0.162
Total 44/196 (22.4%) 164/533 (30.7%) 26/80 (32.5%) 95/193 (49.2%) <0.001

Others: pharmacists, officers in general business, janitor, dietitian, etc.

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