title: Hepatitis A seroprevalence rate in Syria.
abstract: Hepatitis A is a benign infection, which in the developing world affects mainly children; the majority of adults are immune by the age of 30. In the last decade or so, a shift in the prevalence pattern of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection from a low- to a high-age group has appeared in the developed countries. This shift has been attributed to an improvement in the socio-economic and hygienic conditions. In the present study, 849 Syrians of all age groups and both sexes were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique for the seroprevalence of hepatitis A IgG antibody (anti-HAV IgG). It was observed that anti-HAV IgG was present in 89% Syrian population; with 50% in the 1-5 year age group and 95% in the 11-15 year age group. These results demonstrate that HAV infection in Syria is mostly acquired during childhood. As yet there is no serological evidence of a shift in HAV infection from a younger to a higher age group.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Saint Louis Hospital, Syria.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Antaki
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kebbewar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012499:Sanitation; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013593:Syria / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G