ABSTRACT

In this study, we aimed to determine the seropositivity of antiHAV IgG in young adults aged 16-24 years admitted to department of pediatrics and department of infectious diseases of a hospital in Kayseri.

This retrospective study was performed in a public hospital in Kayseri. In this study, the anti-HAV IgG results of 1032 patients aged 16-24 years admitted to hospital between 1st January, 2006 and 1st April, 2010 were investigated and the association between the anti-HAV IgG results and demographic features such as age and gender was analysed. Patients having immunisation history with HAV vaccine were not included in the study. The SPSS 15.0 was used for statistical analysis of data.

The study population were included a total of 1032 patients, 769 (74.6%) male and 263 (25.4%) female, mean age of 22.3± 2 years in male and 20.6±4 years in female. Total Anti-HAV IgG seropositivity was %61.8 (638/1032). Anti-HAV IgG results were seropositive 150 out of 263 (57.0%) in female group and 488 out of 769 (63.4%) in male group. There was no statistically significant association between seropositivity and age or gender (p>0,05).

In this study, it was shown a lower seropositivity of anti-HAV IgG in young adults. It seems that effective precautions such as vaccination should be carried out for prevention of HAV infection and its complications which are more severe in adults.

Keywords: Hepatitis A virus, Kayseri, seropositivity, antiHAV IgG