title: Pattern of hepatitis A and hepatitis B virus markers in cases of acute sporadic hepatitis and in healthy school children from north west India.
abstract: The pattern of viral markers in acute sporadic hepatitis in 329 children and those in 334 healthy school children from North West India were studied. Hepatitis A was found to be the commonest infection in sporadic cases (78 per cent). Of these, 86 per cent were under 10 years and 50 per cent less than 5 years of age. Hepatitis B was positive in 8 per cent, non-A non-B in 13 per cent, A as well as B in 1 per cent, and none had Delta virus infection. Viral markers in healthy school children showed anti-HAV IgG positivity in 96 and 85 per cent in those belonging to low and high socio-economic groups, respectively, indicating past infection. HBsAg was positive in 1 per cent of cases. Viral hepatitis is an important public health problem in children and warrants active immunization.
authors.affiliation: Sections of Clinical Gastroenterology (pediatric Gastroenterology and Gastroenterology-II, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Thapa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Broor
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Nain
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012572:School Health Services
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M