Antibody against hepatitis A in seven European countries. II. Statistical analysis of cross-sectional surveys.

The age-specific prevalence of hepatitis A antibodies has been analyzed using a catalytic epidemic model for populations in seven European countries: West Germany, Norway, Greece, Switzerland, Holland, France and Sweden. The results indicate a significant decline in the force of infection in recent decades. However, there are substantial differences between the countries, especially between the Scandinavian countries and Greece. The incidence of hepatitis A in Norway and Sweden has declined since 1930, while a downward trend in incidence in Greece may have started only recently.