Sero-prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus among Australian blood donors.
Author(s)
Young, Megan Kay
Cripps, Allan W.
Nimmo, Graeme
Ji, Yu
Fryk, Jesse
Faddy, Helen
Flower, Robert
Year published
2014
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Aim: Australia has a low incidence of hepatitis A virus (HAV), with the majority of cases in travellers. Nonetheless, the sero-prevalence of antibodies against HAV among Victorians has increased over the last two decades, likely to be a result of vaccination and increased travel/immigration. This study measured the prevelance of HAV antibodies in blood donors from around Australia to determine if a similar rate exists in other states.
Methods: Samples were collected from donors between January and July 2011 from Australian capital cities. All samples (n = 2109) were tested with a commercially available enzyme immunoassay ...
View more >Aim: Australia has a low incidence of hepatitis A virus (HAV), with the majority of cases in travellers. Nonetheless, the sero-prevalence of antibodies against HAV among Victorians has increased over the last two decades, likely to be a result of vaccination and increased travel/immigration. This study measured the prevelance of HAV antibodies in blood donors from around Australia to determine if a similar rate exists in other states. Methods: Samples were collected from donors between January and July 2011 from Australian capital cities. All samples (n = 2109) were tested with a commercially available enzyme immunoassay for total anti-HAV antibody (levels >=20 IU/mL were considered sero-positive). Results: Anti-HAV antibody was detected in 51.4% (95% CI 49.27-53.53%) of donors. Some variability was observed between cities; the highest rates were seen in Sydney donors (57.33%; 95% CI 51.74-62.93%), while the lowest in donors from Brisbane (43.67%; 95% CI 38.05-49.28%). Not surprisingly, sero-prevelance increased with increasing donor age. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that over half of donors tested had anti-HAV antibodies, with relatively high rates in all capital cities. Given increased HAV vaccination rates, measuring naturally-acquired HAV infection in blood donors has become increasingly difficult and a serological test discriminating naturally-occurring from vaccine-induced immunity may be of interest.
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View more >Aim: Australia has a low incidence of hepatitis A virus (HAV), with the majority of cases in travellers. Nonetheless, the sero-prevalence of antibodies against HAV among Victorians has increased over the last two decades, likely to be a result of vaccination and increased travel/immigration. This study measured the prevelance of HAV antibodies in blood donors from around Australia to determine if a similar rate exists in other states. Methods: Samples were collected from donors between January and July 2011 from Australian capital cities. All samples (n = 2109) were tested with a commercially available enzyme immunoassay for total anti-HAV antibody (levels >=20 IU/mL were considered sero-positive). Results: Anti-HAV antibody was detected in 51.4% (95% CI 49.27-53.53%) of donors. Some variability was observed between cities; the highest rates were seen in Sydney donors (57.33%; 95% CI 51.74-62.93%), while the lowest in donors from Brisbane (43.67%; 95% CI 38.05-49.28%). Not surprisingly, sero-prevelance increased with increasing donor age. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that over half of donors tested had anti-HAV antibodies, with relatively high rates in all capital cities. Given increased HAV vaccination rates, measuring naturally-acquired HAV infection in blood donors has become increasingly difficult and a serological test discriminating naturally-occurring from vaccine-induced immunity may be of interest.
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Journal Title
Pathology
Volume
46
Issue
suppl
Subject
Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classified
Clinical Sciences