Routine testing for IgG antibodies against hepatitis A virus in Israel

BACKGROUND: Viral hepatitis is highly endemic in Israel, with the hepatitis A virus (HAV) responsible for most cases. Improved socioeconomic factors, as well as the universal vaccination of infants (introduced in 1999) has resulted in a decline in infection rates in Israel. This study examines the benefits of routine testing for anti-HAV IgG in high-risk population. METHODS: A retrospective examination of the files of teenage and adult patients (aged 16–99 years; mean 33.9) in two primary care clinics found 1,017 patients who had been tested for anti-HAV IgG antibodies for either general healthcare screening or ongoing follow-up for chronic illness. Seropositive patients were then asked regarding recall of past hepatitis (i.e. jaundice, regardless of viral etiology); post-exposure prophylaxis with immune serum immunoglobulin (ISG); and active immunization with inactivated virus. Seronegative patients were subsequently sent for active immunization. RESULTS: Of the1,017 patient records studied (503 male, 514 female), a total of 692 were seropositive (354 males, 338 females; P = 0.113). Seropositivity rates increased with age (p < 0.005), and were highest among those born in Middle Eastern countries other than Israel (91.3%) and lowest among immigrants from South America (44.1%; P < 0.005). 456 of the seropositive patients were interviewed, of whom only 91 recalled past illness while 103 remembered receiving post-exposure prophylaxis (ISG) and 8 active vaccination. Those who were unaware of past infection were more likely to have been vaccinated with ISG than those who were aware (26.3% vs. 7.7%; p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: The relatively high prevalence rate of anti-HAV seropositivity in our study may me due to the fact that the study was conducted in a primary care clinic or that it took place in Jerusalem, a relatively poor and densely populated Israeli city. Most of the seropostive patients had no recollection of prior infection, which can be explained by the fact that most hepatitis A infections occur during childhood and are asymptomatic. Routine testing for anti-HAV IgG in societies endemic for HAV would help prevent seropositive patients from receiving either post-exposure or preventive immunization and target seronegative patients for preventive vaccination

Clinical Features of Re-Emerging Hepatitis A: An Analysis of Patients Hospitalized during an Urban Epidemic in Korea

From April 2008 to November 2008, many cases of hepatitis A were reported in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province in Korea. Furthermore, the rate of severe or fulminant hepatitis have significantly increased during the latest epidemic (13.4% vs. 5.2%, p=0.044). Therefore, widespread use of vaccine is warranted to reduce the burden of hepatitis A in Korea

Reductions in Individual Work Productivity Associated with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Chronic diseases and their treatments may cause symptoms that impair performance but are too mild to affect outcome measures such as absences and workforce exit. Objective: To assess the effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus on individuals Methods: Subjects were identified from claims data and enrolled over the phone. A telephone survey was used to elicit information about productivity at work, absences, diabetes history, comorbidities, job characteristics, employment history, demographics and healthcare utilisation. The sample consisted of 472 employed residents of New York state, USA, of whom, 445 worked at one major US corporation. Of the 472 participants, 78 had type 2 diabetes. All participants agreed to release their claims data for this study; participants with diabetes also consented to the release of clinical records. All data were linked at the individual level. Tobit regression was used to model work efficiency losses, the total productivity time lost and the value of that time. Absences were modelled using Poisson regression. Productivity was measured using absences from work and work efficiency. Work efficiency was assessed using the Osterhaus model. Main outcome measures and results: Using the Osterhaus model of work productivity, type 2 diabetes was associated with a reduction in productivity at work. These productivity losses increased with the length of exposure to diabetes. Surprisingly, higher productivity losses among employees with diabetes did not translate into significantly higher productivity costs because the group with diabetes earned less. This likely reflects the prevalence of diabetes in populations. Among salaried people, very few reported working extra hours to make up for reduced productivity. Self-report biases may have been a factor in this finding. Type 2 diabetes was not associated with more frequent absences. Other factors that have strong effects on work efficiency are depression and colds, and job satisfaction. Conclusions: People with type 2 diabetes appear to experience incremental decrements in work performance that may affect their current and future health and performance. Lower incomes of participants with diabetes suggest that both people with diabetes and their employers bear the cost of any work efficiency losses.Cost-of-illness, Pharmacoeconomics, Type-2-diabetes-mellitus