ABSTRACT

This study was performed to detect seroprevalence of hepatitis A and to investigate the relationship between socioeconomical status and hepatitis A infection in the children of the military personnel living in Kayseri. Cases included in the study were divided into three groups according to age (2 to 6, 7 to 12 and 13-18 years old), three groups according to familial economic status (<1000 YTL, 1000-2000 YTL and >2000 YTL, monthly), four groups according to parent's education level (mother or father graduated from university, high school, college or primary school). HAV IgG positivity was detected in the age groups of 2 to 6, 7 to 12 and 13 to 18 years old as 9.8%, 25.9% and 68.1%, respectively. HAV IgG positivity in the group of familial economic status below 1000 YTL was significantly higher than the other groups. HAV IgG positivity in the group of cases whose either of parents was graduated from primary school was higher than the other groups. HAV IgG positivity was lower in the groups of 2 to 6 and 7 to 12 years old when compared to other studies performed previously in our country. These results should be associated with the good controlling of hygiene of food and water in the army, and why there was no difference in the group of 13 to 18 years old should be that adolescents are relatively independent from parents and interact much more with the community.