[Prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies in Warsaw population]

The result of serological survey that was carried out on 895 subjects of Warsaw population at age 1-54 years showed the high proportion of susceptible to hepatitis A infection. It was shown about 90% susceptible among children at age 1-4 years, and about 80% among older children and adolescents aged below 19 years. The low endemicity of hepatitis A in Poland has been observed since 1997 and very low endemicity since 2002. Only 54 hepatitis A cases were reported in 2005. The morbidity was 0.18 per 100,000 habitants. Vaccination against hepatitis A by inactivated vaccine is recommended in Poland for travellers to regions that have high or intermediate endemicity of hepatitis A, for people whose employment includes production or distribution of food as well as for children and adolescents. Prevalence high proportion of susceptibles in population suggests the need of verification of the present recommendations for hepatitis A vaccination.