[The prevalence of hepatitis A antibodies in HIV exposed and/or infected children and adolescents].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis A virus antibodies in HIV-exposed and/or HIV-infected children and adolescents.


METHODS
Between September 1996 and August 2002, 352 patients (200 exposed, but not HIV-infected and 152 HIV exposed and infected) were included in this study. These children and adolescents (age ranged between 1 and 14 years) were all followed up at the Pediatric AIDS Clinic of the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) and had anti-HAV antibodies determined by a commercially available ELISA method (tests for total anti-HAV antibodies and specific IgM antibodies) (Dia Sorin and Radim). Statistical analyses were done with chi-squared and t test.


RESULTS
The prevalence of hepatitis A virus antibodies in HIV-infected and HIV-exposed, but uninfected patients was 34% and 19.7%, respectively. We noticed that in the age range between 2 years and 10 years, the group of HIV-infected children presented a higher prevalence of hepatitis A virus antibodies (35.5%) than the group of uninfected children (16.7%) (p = 0.005). In the HIV infected group, children from B and C categories had a prevalence of hepatitis A virus antibodies (40.5%) higher than N and A categories (24.1%) (p = 0.042). Mean age did not differ when children from B and C categories were compared with N and A categories (5.18 and 5.66 years, respectively) (p = 0.617).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of hepatitis A virus antibodies in HIV exposed and/or infected children and adolescents between 1 and 14 years old was 26%. Considering the possibility of HIV infection aggravation when associated with hepatitis A virus infection, we suggest that hepatitis A virus inactivated vaccine should be administered to these patients.
Gouvêa
Aída F T B
AF
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP.
Moraes-Pinto
Maria Isabel de
MI
Machado
Daisy M
DM
Carmo
Fabiana B do
FB
Beltrão
Suênia C V
SC
Cunegundes
Kelly S
KS
Pessoa
Silvana D
SD
Weckx
Lily Yin
LY
Succi
Regina Célia M
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence
D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies