Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis A in the Croatian Population
نویسندگان
چکیده
BACKGROUND Hepatitis A virus (HAV) has a worldwide distribution, although this distribution tends to be uneven among geographical regions and population groups. The prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies in the general population varies widely among countries. In Europe, the seroprevalence of HAV is reported to range from 32% to 88%. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of HAV among the general Croatian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS During a 2-year period (2008-2009), a total of 791 serum samples were tested for the presence of anti-HAV total (IgM+IgG) and anti-HAV IgM antibodies using an automated enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (Mini Vidas; bioMérieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France). RESULTS The overall anti-HAV seroprevalence was 41.6%. The observed difference in the seroprevalence rates among male and female patients was not statistically significant (44% vs. 39.6%, P = 0.218). A marked increase in anti-HAV seropositivity with age was observed (P < 0.001). The seroprevalence did not differ significantly between participants residing in rural regions (45.3%) and those residing in urban regions (40.6%, P = 0.292). CONCLUSIONS Our results corroborate those of seroprevalence studies in other developed countries. More than half of the Croatian population (59.4%) is susceptible to HAV infection. Older age is an important predictor for being anti-HAV positive.
منابع مشابه
Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis A in Population under 30 years old in Rural Area of Zabol
Abstract Hepatitis A , like any other intestinal diseases, is common across the world. But its prevalence and epidemiological feature vary according to sanitation and crowded of people. This study which was conducted in the spring of 1377 (1998) aims at the evaluation of epidemiologic pattern of hepatitis A in Zabol. 229 people from rural area of Zabol were randomly selecteted and investigated...
متن کاملSeroepidemiology and risk factors of hepatitis C virus infection in East Azerbaijan, Iran: a population-based Azar Cohort study
Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne virus. It is a major global public health problem and can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis. The aim of this study was to report the epidemiological features of HCV infection and risk factors based on the data from Azar Cohort, East Azerbaijan province, Iran. Methods: The population of this study comprised the people in the age range of...
متن کاملSeroepidemiology of Hepatitis E Virus in Hemodialysis Patients in Gorgan-Iran
Abstract Background & Objective: Hepatitis E virus is one of the most common causes of acute infection in adults. Pregnant and transplant patients are more in risk of HEV infection. Fecal-oral is the main route of HEV transmission but recently transmission by blood transfusion has been observed. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of HEV-Ab in hemodialysis patients in Gorgan, I...
متن کاملHepatitis E Virus and Serum Level Aminotransferases in Blood Donors
Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is a self-limiting viral infection that can lead to severe complications and death. In different regions the epidemiology of this infection varies. In this study we evaluated the seroepidemiology of hepatitis E infection in Jahrom, a city in southern Iran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of serum samples from 477 subjects, i...
متن کاملسرواپیدمیولوژی هپاتیت E در عقبماندگان ذهنی شهرستان بیرجند در سال 1396
Background and Aim: Hepatitis E is a viral disease transmitted through contaminated water, which is most commonly reported as an epidemic. Mental retardation among high-risk groups are at high risk of infection, Therefore, the present study was designed and conducted to evaluate the seroepidemiology of hepatitis E in mentally retarded individuals. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional de...
متن کامل