Community burden of hepatitis A infection and
risk of transmission in Hong Kong
NS Wong1,2, DPC Chan2, CP Chan1, CM Poon2, SS Lee2
1 Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
2 Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- The age/sex-adjusted prevalence of anti-hepatitis A virus antibodies was 39.25% among 2085 participants in a population survey in Hong Kong.
- The estimated age at midpoint of population immunity for hepatitis A infection was 45 to 49 years, more than 30 years older than that estimated half a century ago.
- Only 3% of participants gave a definitive history of previous hepatitis A vaccination.
- Hepatitis A vaccine uptake was associated with employment in higher-risk occupations and frequent travel.
- A household survey using building groups as sampling frame was a practical approach for developing epidemiologic analyses.