An Epidemiological Analysis of Hepatitis A Virus Serologic Markers during the Recent Four Years in Korea.
10.3343/kjlm.2009.29.6.563
- Author:
Anna LEE
1
;
Hyun Sun LIM
;
Chung Mo NAM
;
Sean Mi SONG
;
Hye Ryoung YOON
;
Kyoung Ryul LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul Medical Science Institute, Seoul, Korea. dkrlee@scllab.co.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Hepatitis A;
Seroprevalence;
Anti-HAV total;
Anti-HAV IgM
- MeSH:
Adult;
Biological Markers/blood;
Chemiluminescent Measurements;
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay;
Female;
Hepatitis A/*epidemiology;
Hepatitis A Antibodies/*blood;
Hepatitis A virus/*immunology;
Humans;
Immunoglobulin M/blood;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Republic of Korea/epidemiology;
Retrospective Studies;
Sex Factors;
Time Factors
- From:The Korean Journal of Laboratory Medicine
2009;29(6):563-569
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: To establish effective preventive measures for hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection, a nationwide epidemiologic study on seroprevalence of anti-HAV and the disease prevalence is needed. The aim of this study was to analyze the recent sero-epidemiological changes of hepatitis A markers in Korea. METHODS: The results of 11,068 anti-HAV total and 32,360 anti-HAV IgM tests by electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) that had been requested in recent four years (2005-2008) to a reference medical laboratory from 1,699 institutions nationwide were retrospectively analyzed according to the distribution of year, sex, and age groups. RESULTS: The overall positive rate of anti-HAV total was 62.8%. The overall positive rate of anti-HAV IgM was 11.0%, showing a significantly increasing trend by year: 7.7%, 10.9%, 8.9%, and 14.3% in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, respectively (P<0.0001). The positive rate of anti-HAV IgM was higher in male than in female subjects (11.8% vs 10.0%, P<0.0001), and 81.8% (2,916/3,566) of the anti-HAV IgM positive results were observed in the age groups of 21-40 yr. The annual positive rates of anti-HAV total and anti-HAV IgM showed significantly decreasing and increasing trends, respectively, in the age groups of > or =21 yr. Conclusion: In accordance with a decreasing sero-positivity of anti-HAV total, the prevalence of acute hepatitis A virus infection has been considerably increased during the recent four years in the age groups of > or =21 yr. The results of this study could be used effectively as a basic data for establishing effective preventive measures for hepatitis A including vaccination in these susceptible age groups.
