title: Hepatitis A seroprevalence in public school children in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, prior to the introduction of the hepatitis A universal childhood vaccination.
abstract: This cross-sectional study was carried out between August 2011 and July 2012 in the city of Campos dos Goytacazes in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Dried blood spot samples were collected on filter paper from 919 individuals between the ages of 1 and 19 and were tested for antibodies against the hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV). The total prevalence was 20.7%, while 94.7% of children under the age of 5 were found to be susceptible to HAV infection. The prevalence of anti-HAV increased with age, reaching 33.3% among individuals aged between 15 and 19, thereby indicating that this municipality has a low level of endemicity for hepatitis A. Age, non-white skin color, accustomed to swimming in the river and more than five people living at home were the factors that were associated with an increase in the chance of a positive anti-HAV result. Mother's education level (secondary or tertiary) was considered a protective factor for HAV infection. The data obtained showed that a large proportion of the children from Campos dos Goytacazes were at risk of HAV infection, which should be minimized with the introduction of the vaccination program against hepatitis A that was launched in the municipality in 2011.
authors.affiliation: Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brasil.|Faculdade de Medicina de Campos, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brasil.|Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil.
authors.forename: Charbell Miguel
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kury
authors.affiliation: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Alves
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil.
authors.forename: Jaquelline Pereira da
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Programa de Computação Científica, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Oswaldo Gonçalves
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil.
authors.forename: Claudia Lamarca
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Vitral
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017957:Hepatitis A Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines