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Hepatitis A antibody in blood donors in North East Thames region: implications to prevention policies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

N. J. Scott ,
J. F. Harrison  and
A. J. Zuckerman
N. J. Scott
Affiliation:
N.E. Thames Regional Blood Transfusion Centre, Brentwood, Essex
J. F. Harrison
Affiliation:
N.E. Thames Regional Blood Transfusion Centre, Brentwood, Essex
A. J. Zuckerman
Affiliation:
WHO Collaborating Centre For Reference and Research on Viral Hepatitis, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
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Summary

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A total of 1786 blood donors were screened for the presence of anti-hepatitis A antibod (anti HAV). 64·5% of the donors were found to be positive. The prevalence of the antibody was found to be age-related, 55% at 18 years and 75% at 65 years. No relationship was noted between the presence of antibody, foreign travel or a specific destination. Assay of antibody levels in selected seropositive individuals gave a mean level of 5· IU/ml.

The prevalence of infection in this selected population is important in thecontext of passive immunization with normal human immunoglobulin and for defining a policy of immunization with hepatitis A vaccines, which are currently undergoing clinical trials.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 103 , Issue 2 , October 1989 , pp. 377 - 382
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

References

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