[Prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis A, B, C and E viruses in the rural child population in Northern Extremadura].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of antibodies against the A, B, C and E hepatitis viruses was studied in the rural child population of Plasencia (Northern area of Extremadura).


METHODS
A set of 411 serum samples, corresponding to 209 boys and 202 girls, distributed in three age groups (4-5, 9-10 and 13-15 years) were studied. The population was randomly chosen from the entire child population of the Plasencia sanitary area. Enzyme immunoassay was used in all cases to determine the IgG antibodies against the A virus (anti-HAV), the antibodies against the antigen of the B virus core (anti-HBc), and the antibodies against the C virus (anti-HCV). In 95 cases of the 13-15 year old group we also determined the antibodies against the E virus (anti-HEV).


RESULTS
The anti-HAV was positive in 104 samples (25.3%), 1 belonging to the 4-5 year old group, 46 to the 9-10 year olds (32.8%) and 57 to the 13-15 year old group (38.2%). The anti-HBc was found to be positive only in three children (0.7%). No serum samples presented anti-HCV. The anti-HEV was positive in 5 cases out of the 95 studied (5.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate high HAV infection rates in the rural child population and a low prevalence of infection by HBV. No infection by HCV was detected. The recently described HEV is present in our area with a higher prevalence than in other European countries.
Montes Martínez
I
I
Unidad de Microbiología, Hospital Virgen del Puerto, Plasencia Cáceres.
Agulla Budiño
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013030:Spain; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
Prevalencia de marcadores de hepatitis víricas en niños del norte de Extremadura.