Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The changing epidemiological pattern of hepatitis A in an urban population of India: Emergence of a trend similar to the European countries

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence of the antibody against hepatitis A virus (IgG anti-HAV) in an urban population sample from Delhi (India) and to assess any change in the epidemiological pattern of HAV infection in this part of the world. A total of 500 healthy subjects were enrolled and divided into groups on the basis of age, sex and per capita income and evaluated for the presence of IgG anti HAV antibodies using a commercially available kit. The mean age of all the subjects was 32.6 ± 13.2 yr. and the male:female ratio was 1.5:1. The overall prevalence of IgG anti-HAV in all subjects was 71.2% (356/500). The prevalence in subjects >35 years (92.1% [186/202]) was significantly higher than that in subjects <35 years (92.1% [186/202]) was significantly higher than in subjects <35 years (57% [170/298]). No statistically significant difference was observed between male and female subjects (71.4% [217/304] vs. 70.9% [139/196]) or between subjects belonging to middle and low socioeconomic groups (68.9% [135/196] vs. 72.7% [221/304]). These findings when compared with the results that were obtained in 1982, showed a decreasing prevalence of IgG anti-HAV, most significantly in younger age groups (16–35 years). Thus, we may conclude that the seroepidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection in urban population of India seems to be changing with seroprevalence in the younger population approaching a figure similar to that of the more developed European countries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Roy P, Prasad SR, Pal SR. One-year surveillance of sporadic hepatitis A in children at Chandigarh. Indian J Med Res 1987; 86: 626–628.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Tandon BN, Gandhi BM, Joshi YK, Irshad M, Gupta H. Hepatitis virus non-A, non-B: The cause of a major public health problem in India. Bull WHO 1985; 63: 931–934.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Frösner GG, Papaevangelous G, Butter R, et al. Antibody against hepatitis A in seven European countries. I. Comparison of prevalence in different age groups. Am J Epidemiol 1979; 110: 63–69.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Perez TE, Cilla G, Urbieta M, Dorronsono M, Otero F, Mazrimon JM. Falling incidence and prevalence of hepatitis A in Northern Spain. Scan J Infect Dis 1994; 26: 133–136.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Perez TE, Cilla EG, Urbieta M, Garcia BM. Prevalence of hepatitis A virus infection in Spain. Scan J Infect Dis 1988; 20: 113.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kremastinou T, Kalapothaki V, Trichopoulos D. The changing epidemiologic pattern of hepatitis A infection in urban Greece. Am J Epidemiol 1986; 120: 703–706.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Mele A, Pasquini P, Pana A. Hepatitis A in Italy: Epidemiology and suggestions for control. Ital J Gastroenterol 1991; 23: 341–343.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Chiaramonte M, Moschen M, Stroffolini T, Rapicetta M, Bertin T, Renzulli G. Changing epidemiology of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection: A comparative se-roepidemiological study (1979 vs. 1989) in north east Italy. Ital J Gastroenterol 1991; 23: 344–346.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Frosner G, Willers H, Muller R, et al. Decrease in incidence of hepatitis A in Germany. Infection 1978; 6: 259–260.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Marino RT, Valente AR, Ramatho FJ, de Moura MC. The changing epidemiological pattern of hepatitis A in Lisbon, Portugal. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1997; 9: 795–797.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Beutels M, van Damme P, Vranckx R, Meheus A. The shift in prevalence of hepatitis A immunity in Flanders, Belgium. Acta Gastro Enterol Belg 1998; LXI: 4–7.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Buma AH, Beutels P, van Damme P, Tormans G, van Doorslaer E, Leentvaar-Kuijpers A. An economic evaluation of hepatitis A vaccination in Dutch military personnel. Mil Med 1998; 163: 564–567.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Weiland O, Berg JUR, Bottiger M, Lundbergh P. Prevalence of antibody against hepatitis A in Sweden in relation to age and type of community. Scan J Infect Dis 1980; 12: 171–174.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Forbes A, William R. Increasing age-an important adverse prognostic factor in hepatitis A virus infection. J R Coll Physicians Lond 1988; 22: 237–239.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lemon SM, Shapiro CN. The value of immunisation against hepatitis A. Infect Agents Dis 1994; 3: 38–49.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Arankalle VA, Tsarev SA, Chadha MS, et al. Age specific prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A and E viruses in Pune, India, 1982 and 1992. J Infect Dis 1995; 171: 447–450.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Park K. Concepts of health and disease. In: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. Jabalpur, (India): Banarsidas Bhanot Publishers, 1995: 11–14.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Tandon BN, Gandhi BM, Joshi YK. Biological spectrum of viral hepatitis and prevalence of markers of hepatitis A and B virus infection in North India. Bull WHO 1984; 62: 67–73.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Werner GT, Frosner GG, Sareen DK. Prevalence of Hepatitis A, B and HIV markers in Punjab. J Indian Med Assoc 1990; 88: 293–294.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Thapa BR, Singh K, Singh V, Broos S, Singh V, Nain CK. Pattern of hepatitis A and hepatitis B markers in cases of acute sporadic hepatitis in healthy school children from North West India. J Trop Prediatr 1995; 41: 328–329.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Dhawan PS, Shah SS, Alvares JF, et al. Seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus in Mumbai and immunogenicity and safety of hepatitis A vaccine. Indian J Gastroenterol 1998; 17: 16–18.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Forbes A, William R. Changing epidemiology and clinical aspects of hepatitis A. Br Med Bull 1990; 46: 303–318.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Malik YA, Baharin R. Changing prevalence of hepa-titis A in Malaysia. Presented at 4th Western Pacific Congress on Chemotherapy and Infectious Diseases, December, 1994, Manila, Philippines.

  24. Goh KT, Wong LYM, Oon CJ, Kumarapathy S. The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A virus in Singapore. Asia Pacific J Publ Hlth 1987; 1: 9–11.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Committee on Epidemic Diseases. Epidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection in Singapore. Epidemiol News Bull 1992; 18: 63–64.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Fagan EA, Willianm R. Fulminant viral hepatitis. Br Med Bull 1990; 46: 462–480.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Hadler SC. Global impact of hepatitis A virus infection changing patterns. In: Hollinger FB, Lemon SM, Margolis H, eds. Viral Hepatitis and Liver Diseases: Proceedings of the 1990 International Symposium on Viral hepatitis and liver disease: Contemporary issues and future prospects. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1991: 14–20.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Vranckx R, Muylle L. Hepatitis A virus antibodies in Belgium: Relationship between prevalence and age. Infection 1990; 18: 364–366.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Szmuness W, Dienstag JL, Purcell RH, et al. The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A antigen in the various parts of the world: A pilot study. Am J Epidemiol 1977; 10: 392–398.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Wang JY, Hu SL, Liu Y, Hong YL, Cao SZ, Wu LF. Risk factor analysis of an epidemic hepatitis A in a factory in Shanghai. Intl J Epidemiol 1990; 19: 435–438.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Shaw FE Jr, Sudman JH, Smith SM, et al. A community wide epidemic of Hepatitis A in Ohio. Am J Epidemiol 1986; 123: 1057–1065.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Farina C, Pagnoni R, Pavesi MS, Signori M, Serughetti P. HAV epidemics in lower Valle Seriana (Bergamo) 1968–1984. Boll 1st Sieroter Milan 1986; 65: 261–268.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Margolis HS, Alter MJ. Will hepatitis A become a vaccine preventable disease? Ann Intern Med 1995; 122: 465–466.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi –, 110 002, India

    K. Das, A. Jain, S. Kapoor, R.K. Gupta & P. Kar

  2. Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi –, 110 002, India

    S. Gupta & A. Chakravorty

Authors
  1. K. Das
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Jain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Gupta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. Kapoor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R.K. Gupta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. A. Chakravorty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. P. Kar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Das, K., Jain, A., Gupta, S. et al. The changing epidemiological pattern of hepatitis A in an urban population of India: Emergence of a trend similar to the European countries. Eur J Epidemiol 16, 507–510 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007628021661

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007628021661

Search

Navigation