Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A virus antibody in primary school children in Khon Kaen Province, northeastern Thailand.

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis A is a disease commonly found in Thai children. Since 1984, there have been very few reports on the age specific prevalence of hepatitis A virus infection in the northeastern part of Thailand, which has the largest population and is the poorest area of the country. We studied the seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibody in 3 primary school children in different areas of Khon Kaen Province, northeastern Thailand. Anti-HAV level was assayed by ELISA. Four hundred and forty-one children age 6-12 years were selected from one primary school in the urban area and two from rural areas. The highest prevalence was 22.6% at age 12 years and 0 at age 6 years. The seroprevalence was highest, 45%, in rural school children of the lowest socioeconomic status as compared to 10.8% and 2.6% in other urban school children. The overall prevalence was 12.7% and the age specific prevalence with 95% CI are presented. These data indicated a much lower seroepidemiological prevalence than previously reported and might be related to the level of socioeconomic and standard of public sanitation and living conditions.