A Prevalence Study of Hepatitis A Virus Infection in a Migrant Community: Is Hepatitis A Vaccine Indicated?
Author: Dentinger, Catherine M.
Date Published: 2001
A study conducted on migrant children living in migrant communities where there is a high prevalence of Hepatitis A. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine hepatitis A vaccination of children living in communities with high rates of hepatitis A. Rates among children living in migrant farm worker families are unknown. Participants recruited from the 1,243 migrant children aged 2 to 18 years in Okeechobee County, Florida, were administered a questionnaire. A blood sample was taken for testing for antibodies to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV), and hepatitis A vaccine was administered. Of 244 (20%) participating children, 125 (51%) were anti-HAV-positive. Seropositivity increased with age from 34% (2 to 5 year olds) to 81% (younger than 14 year olds) (P<.0001). In multivariate analysis, age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.2/year; 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.3), having a Mexican-born father (OR = 12.2; 95% CI = 2.2 to 227.9), and age on moving to the United States (OR = 1.3/year; 95% CI = 1.0 to 1.6) were independently associated with anti-HAV positivity. Among US-born children aged 2 to 5 years who had never left the United States, 33% were anti-HAV positive. Anti-HAV prevalence among migrant children in Okeechobee County, including the youngest US-born children, is high, indicating ongoing transmissions of HAV. Children in this and other US migrant communities may benefit from hepatitis A vaccination. You can purchase the article here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11343047
Date Published: 2001
A study conducted on migrant children living in migrant communities where there is a high prevalence of Hepatitis A. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine hepatitis A vaccination of children living in communities with high rates of hepatitis A. Rates among children living in migrant farm worker families are unknown. Participants recruited from the 1,243 migrant children aged 2 to 18 years in Okeechobee County, Florida, were administered a questionnaire. A blood sample was taken for testing for antibodies to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV), and hepatitis A vaccine was administered. Of 244 (20%) participating children, 125 (51%) were anti-HAV-positive. Seropositivity increased with age from 34% (2 to 5 year olds) to 81% (younger than 14 year olds) (P<.0001). In multivariate analysis, age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.2/year; 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.3), having a Mexican-born father (OR = 12.2; 95% CI = 2.2 to 227.9), and age on moving to the United States (OR = 1.3/year; 95% CI = 1.0 to 1.6) were independently associated with anti-HAV positivity. Among US-born children aged 2 to 5 years who had never left the United States, 33% were anti-HAV positive. Anti-HAV prevalence among migrant children in Okeechobee County, including the youngest US-born children, is high, indicating ongoing transmissions of HAV. Children in this and other US migrant communities may benefit from hepatitis A vaccination. You can purchase the article here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11343047
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