DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2014.v02i03.056

Pages: 1144-1147

Hepatitis A is one of the most common cause of hepatitis in paediatric age group and the most common cause of Fulminant Hepatic Failure (FHF) in children in India. Hepatitis A is a water born disease and its seroprevalence reflect the status of water sanitation & hygiene. High endemicity obviates the need for vaccine in the community but it is required as individual immunization. We studied 116 children in Outdoor Patient Department to know the seroprevalence of Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) total Antibodies and effect of various demographic and water sanitation variables on it. Study includes children attending Pediatric outpatient department with minor problems in medical college hospital. It is a descriptive, cross-sectional, sero-epidemiologic investigational study. Blood sample of randomly selected children was collected and Competitive ELISA test was done for detection of total (both IgM and IgG) anti HAV antibody using commercial available ELISA kit. The statistical analysis was performed by chi-squared test using Epi Info software 3.5.4.Version 2012. Seroprevalence in Children from upper social class was 54.5% Vs 87.2% in lower social class (p=0.00075). Among children from rural background 90.9% were seropositive Vs 77.1 % among urban children. Mother’s education above and below secondary level had a seropositivity for HAV in children up to 69.23% and 87.1% respectively.