ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hepaitis A virus(HAV) infection occurs commonly during early childhood. Recent improvements in sanitation and hygiene have resulted in a decrease in HAV infection among children, while the clinical illness of hepatitis A and prevalence of antibody to HAV(anti-HAV IgG) have been increased, particularly in the 3rd decade of young male adults. We studied a seroepidemiology of anti-HAV IgG in combat policemen who were living together during their service in the combat police force. METHODS: We measured anti-HAV IgG(HAVAB, Abbott) from 1,009 healthy subjects with no history of transfusion of any blood products during the last 6 months. The mean age was 20.8 years. RESULTS: Overall, anti-HAV IgG was detected in 30.2% of study subjects. According to age, the positive rates of antibody were 15.7%, 25.9%, 31.5%, 38.1%, 43.5%, and 50.0% in 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 years respectively. The positive rates of anti-HAV IgG as to period of service were 17.3%, 28.1%, 40.9% in 0 month, 1-12 months, 13-24 months respectively. The positive rates of anti-HAV IgG were 27.0% in the urban group, 39.8% in the rural group. CONCLUSION: The positive rates of anti-HAV IgG in our data low compared with those of previous reports. We think that group living condition such as living in dormitories or barracks can be a risk factors for hepatitis A infection and that improvements to the sanitary system and active immunization would be necessary for prevention of it.