Epidemiology of hepatitis a in Catalonia, 2001-2006
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5377/creaciencia.v0i9.8210Keywords:
Hepatitis A, epidemiological characteristics, Catalonia 2001 to 2006, Morrocan influence, transmission, incidence, and prevalenceAbstract
It is a retrospective and comparative descriptive study whose main objective is to describe the epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis A in Catalonia, in the period 2001-2006 and assess the influence of the Moroccan population.
1,378 cases of hepatitis A were notified, of which 1,217 confirmed or probable cases (88.3%) were included in the study.
The average annual rate found was 3.0 / 100,000 inhabitants (range 1.7 to 3.9). 63.8% were men and the median age was 27 years (0-89), the group with the highest rate being 5 to 9 years (11.8).
The most frequent history of risk was: trip to endemic area (22.8%), non-sexual partner (14.5%), risk food consumption (11.1%) and homosexual contact (5.8%).
Gamma globulins were administered and the contacts of the cases were vaccinated in 13.8%, being higher in the cases notified within the first 14 days (28.3%) than in those notified after the 14 days (12.4% p <0.001).
The associated cases were younger than sporadic (22 median years versus 28 years p <0.001), attended more preschool centers (12.8% versus 4.7% p <0.001) and had greater contact with children under 3 years (14.0% versus 8.7% p = 0.005).
The incidence rate for 2005 and 2006 was 2.2 cases per 100,000 h. in the Spanish and 9.7 in the Moroccans.
The cases of Moroccan origin were younger than the Spaniards (7 years of median versus 30 years p <0.001) and had more history of travel to endemic area (62.8% versus 14.6% p <0.001). The cases with a history of travel to Morocco were younger than the Spaniards, they attended preschool more frequently (19.4% versus 3.7%), had lower risk food consumption (1.0% versus 11.6% p <0.001) and were cases associated with higher frequency (65.3% versus 36.3% p <0.001).
In Catalonia, hepatitis A is more common in young children and young adults.
Person-to-person contact is the predominant transmission mechanism.
Cases of Moroccan origin and cases with a history of travel to Morocco are younger and could be important in maintaining the circulation of the virus among the population under 10 years of age.
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