Incidence and Seroprevalence of Hepatitis A Virus among Korean Auxiliary Police Officers

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In Korea, cases with hepatitis A have been reported to Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the sentinel surveillance system. However, it was difficult to study the exact nation-wide incidence of hepatitis A infection. We studied the incidence of clinically apparent hepatitis A infection and the seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG among auxiliary police officers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed clinically apparent and hospitalized hepatitis A patients from 2002 to 2006 in National Police Hospital via medical records. We also measured anti-HAV IgG antibody from 507 auxiliary police officers. RESULTS: The estimated annual incidence of clinically apparent hepatitis A infection among auxiliary police officers was 10.6-14.8 cases per 100,000 population from 2002 to 2006. The overall anti-HAV IgG seropositive rate among auxiliary police officers was 0.6% (3/507). CONCLUSION: Among auxiliary police officers, the estimated annual incidence of clinically apparent hepatitis A infection was above 10 cases per 100,000 population and the positive rate of anti-HAV IgG was very low. The results were comparable to those in the low endemicity countries. The routine HAV vaccination among auxiliary police officers might be suggested.