Hepatitis A seroprevalence in Western Cape Province South Africa: Are we in epidemiological transition
Background. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the most common cause of viral hepatitis worldwide. Hepatitis A vaccine is not included in the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in South Africa (EPI-SA), as the country is considered to be highly endemic for hepatitis A.Objectives. To determine the seropreval...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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South African Medical Association
2019-05-01
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| Series: | South African Medical Journal |
| Online Access: | http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/download/12599/8812 |
| _version_ | 1797370434172223488 |
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| author | A Enoch D Hardie B Kagina G Hussey |
| author_facet | A Enoch D Hardie B Kagina G Hussey |
| author_sort | A Enoch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the most common cause of viral hepatitis worldwide. Hepatitis A vaccine is not included in the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in South Africa (EPI-SA), as the country is considered to be highly endemic for hepatitis A.Objectives. To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis A infection in Western Cape Province (WCP), South Africa.Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional seroprevalence study in the 1 - 7-year age group in WCP. Our samples (N=482) were blood specimens left over after laboratory testing obtained from referral hospitals between August and October 2015. A Siemens enzyme immunoassay was used to test for total hepatitis A antibodies. We also analysed hepatitis A immunoglobulin G antibody results from the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) Disa*Lab database at Groote Schuur Hospital from 2009 to 2014, and included 2009 - 2014 acute hepatitis A (immunoglobulin M-positive) surveillance data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases to look at trends in notified acute infections over the same period.Results. Our cross-sectional study showed 44.1% seroprevalence in the 1 - 7-year age group. Hepatitis A data from the NHLS database indicated a seroprevalence of <90% up to age 10 years, indicating intermediate endemicity. The surveillance data showed that a substantial number of symptomatic hepatitis A infections occurred in the 7 - 40-year age group, suggesting that an increasing proportion of the population is susceptible to HAV infection.Conclusions. These results suggest an urgent need for detailed evidence-based considerations to introduce hepatitis A vaccine into the EPI-SA. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:01:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7f43c72dd79d4f15969d3d9d081e3e1d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0256-9574 2078-5135 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:01:27Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | South African Medical Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-7f43c72dd79d4f15969d3d9d081e3e1d2024-01-02T01:07:24ZengSouth African Medical AssociationSouth African Medical Journal0256-95742078-51352019-05-01109531431810.7196/SAMJ.2019.v109i5.13410Hepatitis A seroprevalence in Western Cape Province South Africa: Are we in epidemiological transitionA EnochD HardieB KaginaG HusseyBackground. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the most common cause of viral hepatitis worldwide. Hepatitis A vaccine is not included in the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in South Africa (EPI-SA), as the country is considered to be highly endemic for hepatitis A.Objectives. To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis A infection in Western Cape Province (WCP), South Africa.Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional seroprevalence study in the 1 - 7-year age group in WCP. Our samples (N=482) were blood specimens left over after laboratory testing obtained from referral hospitals between August and October 2015. A Siemens enzyme immunoassay was used to test for total hepatitis A antibodies. We also analysed hepatitis A immunoglobulin G antibody results from the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) Disa*Lab database at Groote Schuur Hospital from 2009 to 2014, and included 2009 - 2014 acute hepatitis A (immunoglobulin M-positive) surveillance data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases to look at trends in notified acute infections over the same period.Results. Our cross-sectional study showed 44.1% seroprevalence in the 1 - 7-year age group. Hepatitis A data from the NHLS database indicated a seroprevalence of <90% up to age 10 years, indicating intermediate endemicity. The surveillance data showed that a substantial number of symptomatic hepatitis A infections occurred in the 7 - 40-year age group, suggesting that an increasing proportion of the population is susceptible to HAV infection.Conclusions. These results suggest an urgent need for detailed evidence-based considerations to introduce hepatitis A vaccine into the EPI-SA.http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/download/12599/8812 |
| spellingShingle | A Enoch D Hardie B Kagina G Hussey Hepatitis A seroprevalence in Western Cape Province South Africa: Are we in epidemiological transition South African Medical Journal |
| title | Hepatitis A seroprevalence in Western Cape Province South Africa: Are we in epidemiological transition |
| title_full | Hepatitis A seroprevalence in Western Cape Province South Africa: Are we in epidemiological transition |
| title_fullStr | Hepatitis A seroprevalence in Western Cape Province South Africa: Are we in epidemiological transition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hepatitis A seroprevalence in Western Cape Province South Africa: Are we in epidemiological transition |
| title_short | Hepatitis A seroprevalence in Western Cape Province South Africa: Are we in epidemiological transition |
| title_sort | hepatitis a seroprevalence in western cape province south africa are we in epidemiological transition |
| url | http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/download/12599/8812 |
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