Key result
Overall HAV seropositivity among healthcare workers was 27.6%, increasing significantly with age (21.1% in 20s, 55% in 30s, 100% in 40s; P<0.001), but not differing by occupation or workplace.
Cross-Sectional (n=174)
No
p-value: p=<0.001
The seroprevalence of HAV antibody among young healthcare workers in Korea is not higher than the general population, highlighting a potential need for age-specific vaccination strategies.
Low seropositivity in young healthcare workers may support targeted vaccination; leaves open occupational risk reduction in prospective studies.
BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCW) are known as a risk group of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection and vaccination of this group against HAV has been suggested. However, the seroprevalence of HAV antibody among HCW in Korea has not been reported. We investigated the seropositivity of HAV antibody in HCW, to obtain a baseline data. METHODS: We measured serum total HAV antibody using chemiluminescent immunoassay (ADVIA Centaur, Germany) in 174 HCW at one university hospital in Seoul, Korea. RESULTS: Serum HAV antibody was positive in 48 (27.6%) of 174 subjects tested. The seropositivity of HAV antibody was significantly increased with increasing age: 21.1% (26/123), 55% (22/40), and 100% (11/11) in the age groups of 20's, 30's, and 40's, respectively (P<0.001). However it was not significantly different among different occupations (physicians 38%, nurses 24.6%, other workers 31.4%, P=0.376) and work places (medical ward 29.1%, pediatric ward 25.9%, emergency room 34.4%, laboratory 0%, P=0.140). The seroprevalence rate of HAV antibody in the age groups of 20's and 30's in this study was not higher than that of previous studies on non-HCW populations in Korea since 2006. CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of HAV antibody among HCW in the age groups of 20's and 30's in a Korean hospital was not higher than that of non-HCW populations, and the seropositivity increased with increasing age. Further studies are needed for the age-specific strategy for vaccination, considering the increased risk of exposure in HCW to HAV infection in hospital environment with the increase of symptomatic patients with HAV.
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Son et al. (2009) conducted a cross-sectional in Hepatitis A Virus seropositivity (n=174). Healthcare worker occupation vs. Non-healthcare worker populations was evaluated on Serum HAV antibody seropositivity (p=<0.001). Overall HAV seropositivity among healthcare workers was 27.6%, increasing significantly with age (21.1% in 20s, 55% in 30s, 100% in 40s; P<0.001), but not differing by occupation or workplace.
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