[Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection in medical and nursing students. The role of vaccination]. / Seroepidemiología de la infección por el virus de la hepatitis A en estudiantes de medicina y enfermería. Papel de la vacunación.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recent seroepidemiologic studies have demonstrated a decrease in the prevalence of hepatitis A virus infection (HAV) in relation with an improvement in hygienic conditions. The prevalence of anti-HAV in a group of health care students was studied and a vaccination program initiated in this collective. METHODS: Serum anti-HAV determination was performed by an enzymoimmunoanalysis method. A inactivated hepatitis A vaccine was administered. RESULTS: Only 18.5% of the subjects between 17-23 years-old presented anti-HAV antibodies. The prevalence of anti-HAV was related with age and the number of partners. All of the 129 immunized individuals responded to the HAV vaccine with protector antibody titles. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates the decrease in HAV infection among youths as well as the immunogenicity of the anti-hepatitis A vaccine.