Prevalence of hepatitis A IgG in individuals with chronic hepatitis B infection in Babol.

To determine the prevalence of previous hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in people chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), we assessed the prevalence of anti-HAV IgG in 392 patients. The study was carried out in Babol, northern Islamic Republic of Iran from September 2004 to March 2005. Prevalence in those aged 10-19 years was 59.4% and was significantly lower than that in those aged 20-29 years (89.8%) and those over 29 years (97.5%). There was no significant difference in prevalence according to sex or place of residence. A significant proportion of Iranian adolescents and young adults with chronic HBV infection are at risk of contracting HAV infection.