The frequency of occurrence anti-HAV antibodies to health employees – own observations.

Introduction: In the years 1997-2016, Poland was counted among the countries with a low and very low endemicity of hepatitis A. Based on the epidemiological data from NIZP–PZH (National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene), since 2017, an increase in the incidence of hepatitis A has been observed in Poland. Considering the low number of cases by 2016 and a high percentage of seronegative persons, an increased risk of HAV infections should be expected.

Objective: The aim of the project was to assess the presence of anti-HAV IgG antibodies in the employees of the Provincial Hospital for Infectious Diseases and Observation in Bydgoszcz.

Material And Methods: The study was conducted on 123 people who are employees of the hospital. The presence of anti-HAV antibodies was detected using HAV IgG Elisa FORTRESS DIAGNOSTICS kits.

Results: The presence of anti-HAV IgG antibodies was found in 28/123 (22.8%) subjects. Anti-HAV IgG antibodies were almost exclusively found in people over 40 years of age. Only one case involved a younger person.

Conclusions: The low incidence of anti-HAV antibodies in the IgG class among medical personnel confirms the reasonableness of vaccinations against hepatitis A in this group.