© 2002 by Oxford University Press
Brief report |
The Prevalence of Antibodies to Hepatitis A Among Preschool Children in an Urban Setting in Turkey
1 Middle East Technical University Medical Center, Department of Family Medicine, Ankara, Turkey 2 Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey 3 Microbiology and Virology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University Medical Center, Ankara, Turkey
The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus (HAV) was investigated in 114 children (59.7 per cent males) aged 46 years, in the campus area of Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. The prevalence of hepatitis A antibody in this age group was 11.4 per cent (13/114). The rate of immunized children against hepatitis A was 3.65 per cent (5/137). In conclusion the prevalence of anti-HAV demonstrates the susceptibility of other preschool children to hepatitis A. This may be a cause for considering hepatitis A vaccination before preschool attendance in Turkey.