The 1985 national immunisation survey: hepatitis A
Tobias, M.I.; Miller, J.A.; Clements, C.J.; Patel, A.C.
New Zealand Medical Journal 101(857): 771-772
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-8446 PMID: 2847096 Document Number: 313259
In April 1985 a national immunisation survey was carried out, during which sera were collected from approximately 3000 randomly selected children throughout New Zealand. The sample comprised approximately equal numbers of new school entrants (mean age 5 years), standard 3 pupils (mean age 10 years) and form 4 students (mean age 15 years). This collection of sera was tested for antibody to hepatitis A virus, a marker of past infection with this virus, by means of a sensitive ELISA test. Prevalance of infection was found to be less than 1% in the 5 years olds, about 3% in the 10 year olds, and about 9% in the 15 year olds. Amongst the 10 and 15 year olds, but not the 5 year olds, Maori children were approximately three times more likely to have been infected than European children. Children resident in the eastern part of the North Island had a higher risk of infection than other children, even after controlling for ethnic distribution.