ABSTRACT
There is little published data concerning hepatitis B virus [HBV] infection in Aden and no data concerning risk factors for infection. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HBV infection and risk factors for infection in Aden, Yemen. A prospective cross sectional survey of individuals attending primary health care facilities was stratified by age and population size. Five hundred and thirty five participants were interviewed and serum was screened for the presence of Immunoglobin G HBV core antibodies [antiHBc]. AntiHBc positive participants were tested for antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg]. A case-control analysis of risk factors for HBV was undertaken comparing risk factors between antiHBc positive cases and seronegative controls. The age-standardized seroprevalence for antiHBc was 16.2% [95% confidence interval [CI] 13.1-19.3] and for HBsAg was 1.5% [95% CI 0.5-2.5]. The seroprevalence of antiHBc and HBsAg was estimated to range from 5.5% and 0% in infants to 40% and 4.6% in adults, respectively [p < 0.001]. Age [AOR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.01-1.05], household size [>5-9 members, AOR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.1-7.6] and ownership of a landline telephone [AOR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.3-5.8] were independent risk factors for HBV infection. HBV is still a public health problem in this community, with older individuals having much higher prevalence than younger generations. The results of this study would categorise Aden as a low HBV endemic zone. Perinatal transmission does not seem to be a major route of transmission
ABSTRACT
A total of 35 Cryptosporidium positive samples were collected from children in Jeddah city. The samples were microscopically examined with Ziehl Neelsen [ZN] and Auramin phenol [AP] staining methods. Cryptosporidium antigen was detected in the faecal samples by using the Cryptosporidium ELISA kit. Cryptosporidium sp. were identified by targeting an 840 bp of the hyper-variable region of the 18S rRNA gene and about 550 of the first domain [N terminal] of the COWP gene. The subgenotypic identification of C. parvum and C. hominis isolates was done by targeting the sporozoite antigen gp 15/45 760 gene. Four sp. were identified; C. hominis 13/35 [37%], C. parvum 15/35 [42.9%], C. meleagridis 1/35[2.9%] and C. muris 1/35 [2.9%]. One isolate was a mixed infection of C. parvum and C. hominis