Özet:

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine the seropositivity of Hepatitis A virus (HAV) in children between the ages of 2-18 and to establish the relationship of socioeconomic factors. METHODS: A total of 400 children, from the pediatric clinics of Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children’s Diseases Training and Research State Hospital, between the ages of 2-18 who were not vaccinated with Hepatitis A vaccine were included in the study. A survey about the sociodemographic characteristics of families was performed. Anti-HAV Ig G level was determined with the method of ELISA. RESULTS: The anti-HAV seropositivity was 12.5 % in children between the ages of 2-18. There was a statistically significant relationship between HAV seropositivity and socioeconomic level, history of jaundice, having preschool education under the age of 6 (p<0,05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We have found a lower seropositivity rate compared to other national studies. This situation in our country made us think that the age of first contact with HAV is increasing. Therefore, there is a high risk for symptomatic HAV infection in adolescents and young adults, also because our country is in middle endemisity area, the starting of the routine hepatitis A vaccination programme by Ministry of Health will decrease the risk of future epidemics.

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