Objectives: In industrialized countries with a high level of sanitation, immunity against hepatitis A (HVA) is not acquired during childhood, and infection typically occurs in adults, mainly in travelers returning from developing countries where infection is endemic. However, the introduction of hepatitis A virus (HAV) among certain population groups, such as intravenous drug users (IVDU) or homosexual men, leads to a significant increase in the disease. We conducted a retrospective analysis of seroprevalence of anti-HAV antibodies.
Methods: The study group included 296 patients (174 homosexual men and 122 IVDU) for comparison with 76 control subjects (nurses in pediatric wards and workers in hospital kitchen).
Results: We found a significantly higher anti-HAV seroprevalence among less than 35-year old IVDU, HIV positive or negative, in comparison with control subjects but not among homosexual men, whatever their HIV status.
Conclusion: Our experience illustrates that HVA is a health risk for IVDU in industrialized nations, and given its morbidity among adults population, IVDU should receive HVA vaccine.