Prevalência de anticorpos anti-vírus da hepatite A em escolares no município de Porto Velho, Rondônia

Abstract

The evaluation of antibodies prevalence against the virus of Hepatitis A was perforrned frorn September to December of 2000, in one hundred eighty-five students from different socioeconomic levels, including an age group from six to fifteen years, in two schools in the municipal district of Porto Velho, Rondônia, through commercial ELlSA tests (Dia Sorin) for detection Total and IgM anti-HAV antibodies. It was evaluated ninety students of medium and high socioeconomic level came from private school and ninety-five students of low socioeconomic level came from public school. Forty-five of the ninety students (50%) from private school presented positiveness in the test for detection Total anti-HAV antibodies and four of them (8,9%) were positive to IgM anti-HAV too, while, in those came from public school, ninety students (94,7%) presented Total anti-HAV antibodies and only one of them (1,1%) was positive for IgM anti-HAV (p < 0,05). Factors, such as family income, destiny of domiciliation dejections and quality of consumed water were also studied and compared to the anti-HAV prevalence, presenting significant differences among the groups. The results of this study indicated that HAV is endemic in the area and that measures, such as improvement in the sanitary conditions of the municipal district, are necessary to reduce the propagation of HAV in the population.