Changing patterns of hepatitis A prevalence within the Saudi population over the last 18 years
Changing patterns of hepatitis A prevalence within the Saudi population over the last 18 years作者机构:Department of Medicine College of Medicine King Saud University Ministry of Education Ministry of Health Department of Community Medicine College of Medicine King Saud University
出 版 物:《World Journal of Gastroenterology》 (世界胃肠病学杂志(英文版))
年 卷 期:2008年第14卷第48期
页 面:7371-7375页
核心收录:
学科分类:1004[医学-公共卫生与预防医学(可授医学、理学学位)] 1002[医学-临床医学] 100401[医学-流行病与卫生统计学] 10[医学]
基 金:Supported by Grant Number 113-27-AT ON6/6/2007 from King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
主 题:Hepatitis A Saudi Arabia Epidemiology Prevalence Serology
摘 要:AIM: To determine the seroprevalence of Hepatitis A (HAV) amongst Saudi children and compare it with previously reported prevalence data from the same population. METHODS: A total of 1357 students were randomly selected between the ages of 16 and 18 years (689 males and 668 females) from three different regions of Saudi Arabia (Madinah, AI-Qaseem, and Aseer) and tested for ***: The overall prevalence of anti-HAV-IgG among the study population was 18.6%. There was no difference between males and females but there was a significant difference in the seroprevalence (P = 0.0001) between the three different regions, with Madinah region showing the highest prevalence (27.4%). When classified according to socioeconomic status, lower class students had a prevalence of 36.6%, lower middle class 16.6%, upper middle class 9.6%, and upper class 5.9% (P = 0.0001). Comparing the current study results with those of previous studies in 1989 and 1997 involving the same population, there was a marked reduction in the overall prevalence of HAV from 52% in 1989, to 25% in 1997, to 18.6% in 2008 (P 〈 0.0001).CONCLUSION: Over the last 18 years, there has been a marked decline in the prevalence of HAV in Saudi children and adolescents. The current low prevalence rates call for strict adherence to vaccination policies in high-risk patients and raises the question of a universal HAV vaccination program.