Prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis A virus among new immigrants in Israel

• Published in: Journal of medical virology Vol. 46; no. 1; p. 61
• Main Authors: Karetnyi, Y V, Mendelson, E, Shlyakhov, E, Rubinstein, E, Golubev, N, Levin, R, Sandler, M, Schreiber, M, Rubinstein, U, Shif, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.05.1995
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Emigration and Immigration; Female; Hepatitis A - epidemiology; Hepatitis A - immunology; Hepatitis A Antibodies; Hepatitis Antibodies - blood; Hepatovirus - immunology; Humans; Infant; Israel - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Risk; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Israel
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.1890460114

Israel, located in a region endemic for hepatitis A virus (HAV), recently absorbed a large population of immigrants who came from the former USSR. To assess the risk of high morbidity in this population a serosurvey of HAV antibodies was undertaken. Serum samples were collected from 965 new immigrants, of whom 664 came from the European, non-endemic region, and 301 from the Asian and Caucasian endemic regions of the former Soviet Union. They were compared to 240 Israelis. Each population was divided into six age groups: 1-9, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50 years of age and older. The Asian/Caucasian immigrants and the Israeli population were found to share similar characteristics. In both groups, antibodies to HAV (anti-HAV) were present in the 1-9-year-old age group and reached maximum prevalence (90% and 86.7%, respectively) in the 20-29-year-old age group. In contrast, among the European immigrants anti-HAV was first found in the 10-19-year-olds and peaked (93%) in the age group of 50 years and older. It is concluded that immigrants originating from the European part of the former USSR may require vaccination against hepatitis A.