title: [The circulation of the hepatitis A and B viruses in the Somali population].
abstract: We report the results of a study carried out to evaluate the extent of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) circulation in Somalia. Serum samples were collected from 593 subjects (age range 0-83 years) and tested for anti-hepatitis A (HAV) and anti-HAV IgM. Serum samples taken from 1272 individuals (age range 0-83 years) were tested for HBsAg, anti-HBsAg, anti-HBcAg, HBeAg and anti-HBeAg. We confirmed a very high rate of HAV exposure (about 90% of the subjects tested had circulating anti-HAV) as is typical of fecal-orally transmitted infectious agents. The age-specific anti-HAV IgM prevalence suggests that HAV infection is acquired very early in life. Our data also indicate a high rate of HBsAg carriers (range: 10.5%-27.4%) in the Somalian population. When all markers are considered, 60% of the adult population showed evidence of HBV exposure. HBV spreads very subtly: in fact, it is generally transmitted via non-overtly percutaneous routes. In Somalia, hepatitis A virus infection is highly endemic and occurs very early in life. Hepatitis B virus infection is also widespread in this country.
authors.affiliation: Comitato Tecnico per la Facoltà di Medicina, Università Nazionale della Somalia, Mogadiscio, Somalia.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Mohamud
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aceti
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pennica
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Maalin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hagi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quaranta
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Paparo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Celestino
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012998:Somalia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
vernacular_title: Ricerche sulla circolazione del virus A e del virus B dell'epatite nella popolazione somala.