Hepatitis A in Korea: Epidemiological Shift and Call for Vaccine Strategy

Objective: The number of adult hepatitis A cases has progressively been increasing during the last several years in Korea. The aim of the present study was to describe the recent clinical features of hepatitis A and the seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV), and to discuss HAV vaccine strategy in Korea. Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical characteristics of hepatitis A from 109 patients consecutively enrolled at a community hospital between 2003 and 2006 as well as cross-sectional study of seroprevalence of HAV from 307 patients of hospital population group during the same period were performed. Results: Most hepatitis A cases were young adults in their twenties or thirties, and the severity of the disease was related to the age of patients. The seroprevalence of HAV was 62%, which was dependent on the age of patients. HAV seroepidemiology in Korea is rapidly changing and a growing number of young adults are susceptible to HAV infection. Conclusions: The clinical features and the epidemiological shift of HAV urge Korea, as well as other countries which are experiencing similar issues, to promote childhood vaccination and consider catch-up vaccination for adolescents and young adults.