BACKGROUND/AIMS: There was an outbreak of hepatitis A in the western part of Daejeon with adjacent Chungnam province in the late 1990's. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical features and courses of acute hepatitis A in this area. METHODS: A total of 177 cases, who were diagnosed as acute hepatitis A between June 2000 and December 2004, were reviewed retrospectively. CONCLUSIONS: The mean age was 26 and 96% of the cases were under 40 years old. The ratio of male to female was 1.2:1. There were two hospitalized cases in 2000, 3 in 2001, 73 in 2002, 60 in 2003, and 39 in 2004, respectively. The number of diagnosis was most prevalent in June (20.3%). Common occupations were students (62 cases) and homekeepers (21 cases). It was found that 51 patients experienced consumption history of raw fish or shellfish, and that 18 cases had history of exposure to contaminated underground water. Eighteen cases were infected by family members or friends. A history of travel to domestic areas was noted in 31 cases, and to overseas areas in 6 cases (especially Southeast Asia). Only four cases were vaccinated against hepatitis A. HBsAg was positive in 10 cases, and anti-HCV in 2 cases, but none of these had active diseases. The common symptoms were anorexia, jaundice and fatigue. The common ultrasonographic findings were fatty liver (68/157) and acute hepatitis (39/157). In most cases, ALT and total bilirubin level normalized within 8 weeks. No cases of fulminant hepatitis or death were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of cases with acute hepatitis A were completely recovered without sequelae. It is necessary to investigate specific indications for hepatitis A vaccination either in this area or throughout Korea.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hepatitis A/*diagnosis/epidemiology/transmission ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in South Korea have been organizing hepatitis B virus (HBV) vertical infection prevention projects since July 2002. In this single-institute study, the results of surveys conducted in target mothers who delivered babies in a tertiary hospital were investigated and analyzed. METHODS: Of the 9,281 mothers and their 9,824 neonates born between July 2002 and December 2012, 308 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers and their 319 neonates were selected for this study, and their records were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 308 mothers were HBsAg-positive, with an HBV prevalence of 3.32% (308/9,281). There were 319 neonates born to these HBsAg-positive mothers, and 252 were confirmed to as either HBsAg-positive or -negative. Four were confirmed as HBsAg-positive, with a 1.59% (4/252) HBV vertical infection rate. All the mothers of neonates who had an HBV vertical infection were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive. Among the HBsAg-positive neonates, three were HBeAg-positive and had an HBV DNA titer of 1.0 x 10(8) copies/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The HBV prevalence of mothers was 3.32% (308/9,281), and their vertical infection rate was 1.59% (4/252). Thus, the South Korean HBV vertical infection prevention projects are effective, and, accordingly, HBV prevalence in South Korea is expected to decrease continuously.
Adult ; Biological Markers/blood ; DNA, Viral/blood ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Hepatitis B/blood/diagnosis/epidemiology/prevention & control/*transmission/virology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics/immunology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; *Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical/prevention & control ; *National Health Programs ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; *Tertiary Care Centers ; Viral Load

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of occult HBV infection depends on the prevalence of HBV infection in the general population. Hemodialysis patients are at increased risk for HBV infection. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of occult HBV infection in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: Total of 98 patients undergoing hemodialysis in CHA Bundang Medical Center (Seongnam, Korea) were included. Liver function tests and analysis of HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc and anti-HCV were performed. HBV DNA testing was conducted by using two specific quantitative methods. RESULTS: HBsAg was detected in 4 of 98 patients (4.1%), and they were excluded. Among 94 patients with HBsAg negative and anti-HCV negative, one (1.1%) patient with the TaqMan PCR test and 3 (3.2%) patients with the COBAS Amplicor HBV test were positive for HBV DNA. One patient was positive in both methods. Two patients were positive for both anti-HBs and anti-HBc and one patient was negative for both anti-HBs and anti-HBc. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed the prevalence of occult HBV infection in HBsAg negative and anti-HCV negative patients on hemodialysis at our center was 3.2%. Because there is possibility of HBV transmission in HBsAg negative patients on hemodialysis, more attention should be given to prevent HBV transmission.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies/blood ; DNA, Viral/analysis ; Feces/*virology ; Female ; Hepatitis B/complications/*epidemiology/transmission ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens/immunology ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics/immunology ; Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/*complications/diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B remains the most common transfusion-transmitted viral infection. We explored the current status of pre-transfusion screening and post-transfusion follow-up testing for hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies (anti-HBs) in blood recipients from an area of high HBV endemicity. METHODS: A total of 7,780 blood recipients were transfused with at least 1 unit of blood component at a single university hospital in Korea between January 2006 and December 2009. Their medical records were reviewed, and their demographic and transfusion-related data were analyzed. RESULTS: Pre-transfusion HBsAg and anti-HBs levels were tested in 77.6% (6,037/7,780) of the recipients. The results varied widely according to recipient age. In all, 32.8% (1,982/6,037) of the recipients who were tested had dual negative pre-transfusion results for HBsAg and anti-HBs and, therefore, were at increased risk of HBV transmission. Post-transfusion follow-up testing for HBsAg and/or anti-HBs was performed in 22% (436/1,982) of the increased-risk group. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that current transfusion-related laboratory testing practice is not sufficient to properly investigate possible post-transfusion infections. Routine laboratory tests, including HBsAg and anti-HBs, should be recommended in transfusion guidelines.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Blood Transfusion ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cohort Studies ; Demography ; Endemic Diseases ; Female ; Hepatitis B/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*transmission ; Hepatitis B Antibodies/*blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/*blood ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk