DJSIQPUI
type: UserItem
resource: Hepatitis A immunity and region-of-origin in a Swiss prison
tagged: UserTag
  label: Adult
tagged: UserTag
  label: Black People/statistics & numerical data
tagged: UserTag
  label: Cross-Sectional Studies
tagged: UserTag
  label: Emigrants and Immigrants/statistics & numerical data
tagged: UserTag
  label: Harm Reduction/drug effects
tagged: UserTag
  label: Harm reduction
tagged: UserTag
  label: Health Status
tagged: UserTag
  label: Hepatitis A
tagged: UserTag
  label: Hepatitis A Antibodies/blood/immunology
tagged: UserTag
  label: Hepatitis A Vaccines/*administration & dosage/immunology
tagged: UserTag
  label: Hepatitis A immunity
tagged: UserTag
  label: Hepatitis A/blood/*ethnology/immunology
tagged: UserTag
  label: Humans
tagged: UserTag
  label: Immigrant health
tagged: UserTag
  label: Male
tagged: UserTag
  label: Middle Aged
tagged: UserTag
  label: Prevalence
tagged: UserTag
  label: Prisoners/*statistics & numerical data
tagged: UserTag
  label: Prisons
tagged: UserTag
  label: Seroepidemiologic Studies
tagged: UserTag
  label: Switzerland/epidemiology
tagged: UserTag
  label: Vaccination
tagged: UserTag
  label: Young Adult

Hepatitis A immunity and region-of-origin in a Swiss prison
type: AcademicArticle
abstract: Purpose - The environmental and demographic characteristics of closed institutions, particularly prisons, precipitate morbidity during hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreaks. Given the high prevalence of chronic liver disease and other risk factors in the prison setting, the purpose of this paper is to examine HAV-immunity and its associated factors in this population. Design/methodology/approach - The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2009: a serology screening for HAV IgG was carried out among 116 inmates in Switzerland's largest pre-trial prison. Other participant characteristics were collected through a structured face-to-face questionnaire with a physician. Findings - In terms of significant demographics, Africa (53.5 percent) and the Balkans/Eastern Europe (36.2 percent) were the main regions of origin; a minority of inmates were from Western Europe (6.9 percent), Latin America (2.6 percent) or Asia (0.9 percent). The authors identified hepatitis A antibody-negative serology (lack of immunity) in five out of 116 prisoners (4.3 percent, 95 percent CI 1.4-9.7). Among participants of European origin alone, five out of 50 inmates were hepatitis A antibody-negative (10 percent, 95 percent CI 3.3-21.8), whereas the 66 inmates from other all continents were hepatitis A antibody-positive (immune) (p=0.026). Originality/value - In this prison population composed of mostly African migrants, hepatitis A immunity was high. This reaffirms that region of origin is highly associated with childhood immunity against HAV. HAV vaccination should take into account a patient's area of origin and his/her risk factors for systemic complications, if ever infected. This targeted strategy would offer herd immunity, and seek out the most vulnerable individuals who are potentially at risk of new exposure in this precarious setting.
pages: 98-105
doi: 10.1108/IJPH-10-2015-0033
source: 27219907
creator: Person
author list: Person
is part of: Issue
  date: 2016-05-25
  volume: 12
  issue: 2
  is part of: Int J Prison Health
    type: Journal
    issn: 1744-9219 (Electronic) 1744-9200 (Linking)

Person
given name: L.
surname: Getaz

Person
given name: A.
surname: Casillas

Person
given name: S.
surname: Motamed

Person
given name: J. M.
surname: Gaspoz

Person
given name: F.
surname: Chappuis

Person
given name: H.
surname: Wolff