J Korean Med Sci.  2011 Jun;26(6):791-796. 10.3346/jkms.2011.26.6.791.

Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis A in Korea: Changes over the Past 30 Years

• Lee H
• Cho HK
• Kim JH
• Kim KH

• KMID: 1785966
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2011.26.6.791

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the immune status of the Korean population against hepatitis A virus (HAV). Residual serum samples from 2008 to 2010 were collected from diagnostic laboratories and a total of 1,872 samples were analyzed. Anti-HAV seroprevalence was 57.3% in subjects aged 1-4 yr, 69.8% at 5-9 yr and decreased to 38.8% at 10-14 yr, 13.0% at 15-19 yr, and 11.7% at 20-29 yr. Seroprevalence increased with increasing age: 52.2% at 30-39 yr, 83.2% at 40-49 yr, 81.4% at 50-59 yr, 93.2% at 60-69 yr, and 95.1% at 70-79 yr. The most susceptible age group consisted of subjects aged 10-29 yr, especially those aged 20-29 yr. This pattern is markedly different from that in the past 3 decades, where the most susceptible group had consisted of children aged less than 10 yr and almost all subjects aged more than 20 yr had developed anti-HAV antibodies. Because of improvements in hygiene and introduction of hepatitis A vaccine, the age demographic of the susceptible population has shifted. These data are important for creating new prevention measures, including vaccination policies, to prevent and control outbreaks of hepatitis A in Korea.

Keyword

Hepatitis A; Seroepidemiologic Studies

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Hepatitis A/*epidemiology/immunology
Hepatitis A Antibodies/blood
Humans
Infant
Male
Middle Aged
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Seroepidemiologic Studies

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Age specific seroprevalence against hepatitis A in Korea.

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  Fig. 2 Changes of seroprevalence against hepatitis A in Korea from 1979 to 2010 (data from reference no. 8, 9, 15). (A) Changes over different periods (10-yr intervals) according to age group, (B) Changes among age groups over the past 30 yr.

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