Hepatitis A Seroprevalence Rate in Syria

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil Antaki ◽  
Mohamad Kamel Kebbewar

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.

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Bakhshipour ◽  
Narjes Sargolzaie ◽  
Raheleh Rafaiee

Background: Recently, epidemiological studies on hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection showed the seroprevalence has been changing due to changes in lifestyle. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no published data on the seropositivity of HAV in Zahedan, southeastern Iran. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of HAV immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody in Zahedan, southeastern Iran, to provide the required information for better planning in preventive strategies. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, using the available sampling method, a total of 250 serum samples (18 years and above) in both the urban and rural areas of Zahedan were evaluated for anti-HAV IgG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Based on the results, it was observed that 228 out of 250 (91.2%) serum samples were positive for HAV IgG antibody. Male gender, family size, parents’ education, mother’s occupation, and history of jaundice before the age of 12 years were associated with positive HAV antibody (P < 0.001). The seroprevalence HAV rates were not statistically different between the residents of urban and rural regions. Conclusions: The seropositivity of HAV is high in both the urban and rural areas of Zahedan, Iran. Therefore, the HAV vaccination of the general population is not necessary. It is recommended to monitor HAV seroprevalence in the general population to determine high-risk groups, including anti-HAV seronegative individuals, for HAV vaccination in the residents of the southeast border.


Author(s):  
Sarita Rawat ◽  
P. S. Gill ◽  
Tanuj Gupta ◽  
Praveen Malhotra ◽  
Aparna Parmar

Background: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) cause acute hepatitis in humans and are transmitted mainly through the fecal-oral route. They pose major health problems in developing countries. This study was done to determine prevalence of HAV and HEV in patients presenting with AVH and the co-infection of HAV and HEV in these patients.Methods: The study was conducted in the virology research and diagnostic laboratory, PGIMS Rohtak during the study period of August 2017-December 2018. The study population included sera of individuals from all age group who were suspected of acute viral hepatitis (AVH). All the sera were screened for IgM antibody to HEV and HAV using IgM capture ELISA.Results: HEV IgM ELISA test   was performed in 307 patients (mean age 34 years;), with an overall seroprevalence rate of 138(44.9%). HAV antibodies were detected in 109 subjects, with a median age of 9.5 years the seroprevalence of HAV was 34 (31.1%). HEV seropositivity was highest in the age group 20-30 years. Mean age was 34 years whereas the interquartile range was from 14-71 years. HAV infection was positive mainly in the age group <10 years. With interquartile range from 6-16 years. Out of total 34 patients positive for HAV infection males were 20 (58.8%), whereas females were 14(41.1%). HEV IgM was positive in 138 patients, out of which male were 96 (69.56%) and females were 42 (30.43%). HEV IgM was positive in 138 patients, out of which male were 96 (69.56%) and females were 42 (30.43%). HAV and HEV seen to be prevalent all with highest predominance seen towards the end of monsoons (August and September) and beginning of winters.Conclusions: The present study also points toward HEV being the prime etiological agent for outbreaks of acute hepatitis in the studied region of Haryana (Rohtak), India. A comparatively lower HAV prevalence may be the consequence of an overall declining trend due to improved living standards and environmental hygiene.


1985 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 39-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Schnattinger

Ten litres of tapwater were seeded with 200 µl (8×108 HAV particles) of a commercial (Organon Teknika) suspension of hepatitis A virus. Following WALTER and RÜDIGER (1981), the contaminated tapwater was treated with a two-stage technique for concentration of viruses from solutions with low virus titers. The two-stage technique consists of aluminium hydroxideflocculation (200 mg/l Al2(SO4)3. 18 H2O, pH 5,4-5,6) as first stage, the second stage of a lysis of aluminium hydroxidegel with citric acid/sodium citrate-buffer (pH 4,7; 1 ml/l sample), separation of viruses from the lysate by ultracentrifugation and suspension in 1 ml phosphate buffer solution (pH 7,2). A commercial solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the detection of HAV. HAV was detecterl in the 10.000:1 concentrates, but not in the seeded 101 samples. Approximately 4×108 of the inoculated 8×108 HAV particles were found in the 1 ml concentrates. The efficiency of detection is about 50%, the virus concentration 5000-fold. Although the percentage loss of HAV in comparison with concentration by means of membrane filtration is similar, the ultracentrifugation method yields a larger sample/concentrate ratio, so that smaller amounts of HAV can be detected more efficiently because of the smaller end-volume.


1988 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 554-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Luo ◽  
D.J. Smith ◽  
M.A. Taubman ◽  
W.F. King

Antibodies to S. salivarius, S. sanguis, and S. mutans cells and to glucosyltransferases (GTF) prepared from these micro-organisms were measured in the sera of 133 infants and children by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IgG antibody activity to each cell type and GTF was present at birth (presumably derived from maternal transfer) and declined significantly thereafter. IgG antibody levels to S. salivarius and S. sanguis were next detected in young children (2 to < 3 yr group). However, an increase in IgG antibody to S. mutans cells was not seen until children were older ( 4 to < 8 yr group), possibly reflecting the later colonization of this organism. In contrast, IgG antibody to GTF of all three streptococcal species remained at low levels throughout the first four years of life. IgG antibody to S. mutans GTF was then the first to appear ( 4 to < 8 yr group). Serum IgA antibodies to all GTFs were not detected until after this time. Fifteen sera were used to develop IgG immunoblots with the GTF antigens. Some positive sera (7/12) demonstrated reaction(s) with GTF from each of the three streptococcal species. Individual sera showed IgG antibody bands to GTF from several serotypes of the mutans streptococci. No immunoblot reaction was observed with GTF and sera (3) from the four-to-seven-year and younger age groups. These results indicate the presence of serum antibody to bacteria and bacterial products associated with plaque formation very early in life and during and after the pre-adolescent years. The potential exists for this serum antibody to modulate bacterial colonization or accumulation in the oral cavity.


2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 341-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Wu ◽  
Shimian Zou ◽  
Antonio Giulivi

Hepatitis A, caused by the hepatitis A virus, occurs most frequently in developing countries, but also causes sporadic cases or outbreaks in industrialized countries. The most common route of transmission is fecal-oral. The incidence of hepatitis A varies with geography, and economic and environmental conditions. The epidemiological pattern of the disease has changed with improvements in hygiene and economic conditions. The incidence and prevalence of hepatitis A has decreased, while the average age of exposure and subsequent infection has increased. The present report describes the current status of hepatitis A in Canada. The incidence rate of reported cases in Canada varies from over 10/100,000 (1991) to 3.6/100,000 (1998), and is higher in males, 4.7/100,000 (1998), than in females, 2.5/100,000 (1998). The highest reported hepatitis A rates are in age groups 30 to 39 years and 40 to 59 years, and in British Columbia. Such information is important for assessing current immunization approaches and for decision-making about new preventive strategies against hepatitis A in Canada.


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 819-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriána Dudlová ◽  
Pavol Jarčuška ◽  
Silvia Jurišová ◽  
Zuzana Vasilková ◽  
Vladimír Krčméry ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of the research was to determine the prevalence of non-pathogenic protozoa circulating in the human population of Slovakia. We particularly focused on the socially deprived areas with poor sanitation conditions, as they are one of the factors affecting the transmission of these infections. Within this study, 2760 people were coprologically screened for the presence of protozoan cysts. The analyzed group comprised 1173 men and 1587 women from different regions of Slovakia. The total prevalence (2.03%) of non-pathogenic protozoa species was determined. The prevalence of Entamoeba coli was 0.80%, the prevalence of Endolimax nana 0.58%, and the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis was 0.65%. The presence of non-pathogenic protozoa was more frequent in women than that in men, in all age groups. The highest incidence of Entamoeba coli was found in children aged one month – seven years (0.79%), the lowest in the age group of 19–88 years (0.66%). Endolimax nana was most frequent in 8–18 year-olds (0.95%), where the statistical significance was found (p<0.05). The prevalence of Blastocystis hominis by the age group ranged from 0.39 to 0.95%. We did not find any statistical significance (p>0.05) for Entamoeba coli, and similarly for Blastocystis hominis associated with the sex and age. Although the circulation of non-pathogenic protozoa in the human population is far from being limited to the developing countries, their occurrence is also frequent in the population of developed countries. Despite their controversial pathogenicity, they should not be neglected, particularly in the patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.


2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ianei de Oliveira Carneiro ◽  
Anna-Lena Sander ◽  
Namá Silva ◽  
Andres Moreira-Soto ◽  
Andrea Normann ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The discovery of highly diverse nonprimate hepatoviruses illuminated the evolutionary origins of hepatitis A virus (HAV) ancestors in mammals other than primates. Marsupials are ancient mammals that diverged from other Eutheria during the Jurassic. Viruses from marsupials may thus provide important insight into virus evolution. To investigate Hepatovirus macroevolutionary patterns, we sampled 112 opossums in northeastern Brazil. A novel marsupial HAV (MHAV) in the Brazilian common opossum ( Didelphis aurita ) was detected by nested reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). MHAV concentration in the liver was high, at 2.5 × 10 9 RNA copies/g, and at least 300-fold higher than those in other solid organs, suggesting hepatotropism. Hepatovirus seroprevalence in D. aurita was 26.6% as determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Endpoint titers in confirmatory immunofluorescence assays were high, and marsupial antibodies colocalized with anti-HAV control sera, suggesting specificity of serological detection and considerable antigenic relatedness between HAV and MHAV. MHAV showed all genomic hallmarks defining hepatoviruses, including late-domain motifs likely involved in quasi-envelope acquisition, a predicted C-terminal pX extension of VP1, strong avoidance of CpG dinucleotides, and a type 3 internal ribosomal entry site. Translated polyprotein gene sequence distances of at least 23.7% from other hepatoviruses suggested that MHAV represents a novel Hepatovirus species. Conserved predicted cleavage sites suggested similarities in polyprotein processing between HAV and MHAV. MHAV was nested within rodent hepatoviruses in phylogenetic reconstructions, suggesting an ancestral hepatovirus host switch from rodents into marsupials. Cophylogenetic reconciliations of host and hepatovirus phylogenies confirmed that host-independent macroevolutionary patterns shaped the phylogenetic relationships of extant hepatoviruses. Although marsupials are synanthropic and consumed as wild game in Brazil, HAV community protective immunity may limit the zoonotic potential of MHAV. IMPORTANCE Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a ubiquitous cause of acute hepatitis in humans. Recent findings revealed the evolutionary origins of HAV and the genus Hepatovirus defined by HAV in mammals other than primates in general and in small mammals in particular. The factors shaping the genealogy of extant hepatoviruses are unclear. We sampled marsupials, one of the most ancient mammalian lineages, and identified a novel marsupial HAV (MHAV). The novel MHAV shared specific features with HAV, including hepatotropism, antigenicity, genome structure, and a common ancestor in phylogenetic reconstructions. Coevolutionary analyses revealed that host-independent evolutionary patterns contributed most to the current phylogeny of hepatoviruses and that MHAV was the most drastic example of a cross-order host switch of any hepatovirus observed so far. The divergence of marsupials from other mammals offers unique opportunities to investigate HAV species barriers and whether mechanisms of HAV immune control are evolutionarily conserved.


2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
MZ Amin ◽  
LN Siddique ◽  
MA Slatter ◽  
KK Biswas

Hepatitis A (HAV) infection is caused by the hepatitis A virus which is transmitted through the fecal-oral route. Life long protective antibodies are present after infection. The number of cases of adult hepatitis A has progressively been increasing during the last several decades in Bangladesh. In addition, the pattern of age-specific seroprevalence of anti-HAV has changed with economic growth. The prevalence of anti-HAV in 20-40 year age range has declined rapidly during the last 3 decades. As a result, this age groups has a high risk for HAV infection and clinically overt hepatitis A is increasing in adolescents and adult. The aim of the present study were to assess whether the proportion of adults with acute HAV infection has been increasing over the years and analyze the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin M(IgM) anti- HAV antibodies in young adults below the age of 20 years as well as in cases of chronic liver disease. Sera collected from 530 patients with acute and chronic liver disease attends the Somorita Hospital Ltd. during the previous 2 years and 6 months (Jan. 2008- Jun. 2010) were tested for various serological markers of acute and chronic hepatitis. In addition, 530 normal healthy attendants of the patients above the age of 20 years were tested for IgM anti-HAV as controls. Of 530 patients with acute hepatitis (13.42%) were positive for immunoglobulin M. The patients who were IgM anti-HAV negative were found to be hepatitis B (106 patients), hepatitis C, (10 patients), hepatitis E (150 patients) and unclassified (273 patients). Although the frequency of HAV infection among young adult (< 20 age) had increased (33.33% to 42.35%) in the 2 years and 6 months period, the frequency of HAV infection among adults had also increased (15.38% to 28.13%) during the same period. This study should be helpful for the identification of high risk population for vaccination of hepatitis A. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i3.13065 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(3), 309-312 2012


2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangio FERRARI ◽  
Elisa Cantú Germano DUTRA ◽  
Henrieli Correia ZANARDI ◽  
Bruno Lorenzo SCOLARO ◽  
Odemari Miranda FERRARI

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The bacterium Helicobacter pylori is strongly associated with the development of gastric adenocarcinoma. Currently, the prevalence in developed countries is 40%, but this value increases considerably in developing countries, which can reach rates bigger than 90%. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the mean and annual prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients from Itajaí during the period from July 1992 to April 2016, as well as the gender and age groups most affected. METHODS: After consent of the clinical director of the Gastroclinica Itajaí and confidentiality commitment about the research, the database of the Endoscopy Service of the clinic was evaluated. All the patients who underwent their first upper digestive endoscopy with urease test and/or histological analysis were included. The data were submitted to statistical analysis of prevalence by gender, age group and years of study, with subsequent correction through the confidence interval. RESULTS: The mean prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection thru all years of study was 50.07%. With the calculation of the annual prevalences, it was evident the gradual reduction of infection in the population of Itajaí, that was 81.3% in 1992, declining to 33% in the year of 2016. When classifying the prevalence of infection by gender, it was higher in males (53.59%), and gender distribution by age group showed no statistically significant difference among genders between the ages of 40 and 80 years. In relation to the age group, the highest prevalence was in the group between 40 and 49 years. CONCLUSION: Although this study is retrospective and based on endoscopic database analysis, without access to clinical data of patients such as prior use of proton pump inhibitor and antibiotics to endoscopy, its results are important because they may reflect the current panorama of Helicobacter pylori infection in the city under study, where it has been presenting a gradual reduction of prevalence over the years, with current rates similar to that of developed countries (33%). Future studies are needed to confirm our data.


2019 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. S. A. Smit ◽  
S. Abrams ◽  
P. Dorny ◽  
N. Speybroeck ◽  
B. Devleesschauwer ◽  
...  

AbstractCytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is endemic worldwide but its seroprevalence varies widely. The goal of this study was to estimate the age-specific seroprevalence of CMV infection in Belgium based on two cross-sectional serological datasets from 2002 and 2006. The seroprevalence was estimated relying on diagnostic test results based on cut-off values pre-specified by the manufacturers of the tests as well as relying on mixture models applied to continuous pathogen-specific immunoglobulin G antibody titre concentrations. The age-specific seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV), based on three Belgian cross-sectional serological datasets from 1993, 2002 and 2006, was used as a comparator since individuals acquire lifelong immunity upon recovery, implying an increasing seroprevalence with age. The age group weighted overall CMV seroprevalence derived from the mixture model was 32% (95% confidence interval (CI) 31–34%) in 2002 and 31% (95% CI 30–32%) in 2006. We demonstrated that CMV epidemiology differs from the immunizing infection HAV. This was the first large-scale study of CMV and HAV serial datasets in Belgium, estimating seroprevalence specified by age and birth cohort.


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