Hepatitis A in Latin America: a changing epidemiologic pattern

• Published in: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene Vol. 61; no. 5; pp. 825 - 829
• Main Authors: Tapia-Conyer, R, Santos, JI, Cavalcanti, AM, Urdaneta, E, Rivera, L, Manterola, A, Potin, M, Ruttiman, R, Tanaka Kido, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS ASTMH 01.11.1999; Allen Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Child; Child, Preschool; Chile; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dominican Rep; Dominican Republic; Female; hepatitis A; Hepatitis A - epidemiology; Hepatitis A Antibodies; Hepatitis A virus; Hepatitis Antibodies - blood; Hepatovirus - immunology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Infant; Infectious diseases; Latin America - epidemiology; Male; Medical sciences; Mexico; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Sex Distribution; Social Class; Tropical medicine; Venezuela; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; America; Latin America; Infection; Human; Viral hepatitis A; Prevalence; Viral disease; Multicenter study; Digestive diseases; Hepatic disease; Serology; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0002-9637; 1476-1645
• DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.1999.61.825

In a multicenter study, hepatitis A virus (HAV) seroprevalence was surveyed in six countries in Latin America in which in 12,000 subjects were stratified for age. The highest rates of seroprevalence were recorded in the Dominican Republic (89.0%) and Mexico (81.0%), with lower rates in Brazil (64.7%), Chile (58.1%), Venezuela (55.7%), and Argentina (55.0%). The seroprevalence of HAV in children between 1 and 5 years of age was less than 50%, except in the Dominican Republic. In the 5-10-year-old age group, seroprevalence rates have also decreased compared with previous reports. This suggests that the epidemiology is shifting from high to intermediate endemicity, with the population susceptible to HAV infection shifting from children to adolescents and adults. Furthermore, data from Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico show that HAV seroprevalence is significantly lower in people living in medium and high socioeconomic conditions. This study suggests the need for appropriate vaccination programs to be implemented targeting children, adolescents, and adults, particularly in higher socioeconomic groups.