title: Seroprevalence and predictors of hepatitis A infection in Nigerian children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis A infection is prevalent in developing countries where sanitation is still a public health issue. In Nigeria, there is no epidemiological data on children for this infection. A community based study was carried out to establish the seroprevalence and predictors of this infection in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community based cross sectional study was carried out in Akpabuyo local Government Area of Cross River State in southern Nigeria. Multi-staged sampling technique was used to recruit 406 children aged 1-18 years. Blood samples were analysed for anti-HAV total antibody (IgM and IgG) using a commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay Assay(ELISA). A multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors that independently predicted the occurrence of anti-HAV total antibody. p value of < 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and twenty four subjects tested positive for anti-HAV total antibody giving a prevalence rate of 55.2%. The median age for those positive was 9 years and for those without evidence of HAV infection was 4 years. One hundred and one (45.1%) males and 123 (54.9%) females were positive. The study population was mainly of the low social class with 94.1%. After multivariate analysis, predictors of HAV infection were age and social class.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HAV infection was prevalent in the study population. Educational campaign is imperative and vaccine provision is advocated to further curb the spread of this infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River state, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Joanah Moses
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ikobah
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Henry Chima
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Okpara
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River state, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emmanuel Eyo
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Ekanem
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River state, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Jacob Jackson
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Udo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology*; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012499:Sanitation; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies
keywords: Hepatitis A virus; predictors; seroprevalence