title: Seroprevalence and predictors of hepatitis E infection in Nigerian children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis E is a hepatotropic virus transmitted through the fecal-oral route and is prevalent in developing countries where sanitation is still a public health issue. There is no epidemiological data about this virus in Nigerian children. All the existing studies are hospital based, with obvious limitations. This study was conducted to establish the seroprevalence and predictors of viral hepatitis E antibody in children in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a community-based, cross-sectional study. A multi-staged sampling technique was used to select ten communities from which 406 children were recruited. The study period was April to June 2012. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Blood samples were screened for anti-HEV IgG antibody using the enzyme-linked immunoassay technique. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors that independently predicted the occurrence of the anti-HEV IgG antibody. A p value of < 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The seroprevalence rate of anti-HEV IgG antibody was 7.7% (95% CI = 5.1-10.3). The study population mainly (94.1%) comprised the lower social class. Levels of social amenities in these communities were generally poor, with virtually no piped water and modern sewage disposal systems. After multivariate analysis, the predictor of infection was the duration of residence in the study communities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HEV infection was prevalent in the study population. Educational campaigns and provision of good sewage disposal and piped water are of high necessity.
authors.affiliation: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. profekanem@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ekanem
authors.forename: Joanah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ikobah
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okpara
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Udo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G