Epidemiological Survey for Incidence of Shigellosis and Hepatitis to Evaluate Potential Field Test Sites for Vaccine Trials. Part 2. Viral Hepatitis.

摘要

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is highly endemic in Israel and extensive use of immune serum globulin is used to prevent the disease in the military. With the recent advances in the development of the new HAV vaccines, it has become necessary to evaluate the possibility of a vaccine trial in the IDF. In order to identify candidate populations for the trial, two groups were evaluated in this study. The first study group comprised of a selected group of soldiers completing compulsory military service and believed to be at increased risk of contracting the disease. The soldiers were evaluated for HAV antibodies at the end of their three year compulsory service and an attempt was made to ascertain their antibody status at conscription, in order to estimate seroconversion rate. The prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies in this group at discharge was 45.3%. In addition 3.2% were positive for hepatitis B surface antibodies. The second group comprised members of the permanent force in which the prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies was found to be 81.3%. These findings describe basic seroepidemiologic data on two populations in whom the new HAV vaccines can be tested.