title: Hepatitis A antibodies: prevalence and persistence in a group of Mexican children.
abstract: The prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) was evaluated in sera from 275 asymptomatic infants and children under the age of five years and in 46 maternal-cord serum pairs, followed by sera obtained thereafter each month from the first to the fifth month of life in 29, 17, 9, 9 and 7 infants (a total of 163 serum samples). Anti-HAV was found in all cord blood sera, but its prevalence declined progressively to 0% among 19 infants aged eight months. Four (25%) of 16 children aged one year had positive anti-HAV and the antibody prevalence was 89% in children five years old. Recent hepatitis A infection shown by circulating anti-HAV immunoglobulin M was detected in five infants under the age of two months and with frequencies ranging from 19-67% in one- and five-year-old children. It was concluded that in children living in Mexico City, hepatitis A infections occur at an earlier age and at higher rates than in children in other cities, especially those in developed countries.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Gomez
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bustamante-Calvillo
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008800:Mexico
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M