Premium
A community prevalence study of antibodies to hepatitis A and E in inner‐city London
Author(s) -
Bernal W.,
Smith H.M.,
Williams Roger
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9071(199607)49:3<230::aid-jmv12>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - virology , antibody , medicine , immunology
The seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) was determined in a community‐based sample in inner‐city London where socioeconomic conditions were expected to result in a high prevalence of antibodies to HAV, and in which the presence of immigrants from the developing world pose a risk of imported infection of both HAV and HEV. The seroprevalence of anti‐HAV was 45.1% in UK born subjects and 69.7% in non‐UK born subjects and each group showed differing patterns of age‐specific seroprevalence. The seroprevalence rates of anti‐HEV was 3.9% in UK born subjects and 8.8% in non‐UK born subjects. The age‐specific seroprevalence of the UK born group is suggestive of a cohort effect. The data suggest a low circulation of HEV in inner‐city London, remaining uncommon relative to HAV. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.