Department of Pediatrics, Somalia-Turkey Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia.
Department of Emergency, Somalia-Turkey Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia.
J Trop Pediatr. 2022 Jan 7;68(1). doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmac009.
The hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the most frequent global causes of vaccine-preventable viral hepatitis. Since Somalia is regarded as highly endemic for hepatitis A, the hepatitis A vaccine was not included in the World Health Organization's expanded immunization program. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis A infection in the Somalia capital, Mogadishu.
The serological results of 1153 individuals presenting to the Mogadishu Training and Research Hospital between January 2019 and January 2021 were examined retrospectively to evaluate the presence of anti-HAV IgG and IgM. The seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG and IgM was analyzed on the basis of age and sex. The seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG was also compared among the 11-year age group.
The seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG and IgM did not vary significantly between the sexes. Overall, the seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG was 67.6%. The percentage of seropositivity for anti-HAV IgG was highest in adults aged ≥41 years (88.9%) and lowest in children aged 1-2 years (29.4%). Estimated age at midpoint of population immunity was 5 years which is compatible high endemicity. In addition, a significant rate of hepatitis A infection was also observed in the adolescent age group.
This study confirms the high HAV endemicity in Mogadishu. These data will be useful towards planning preventive and control measures by improving the sanitation programs in Mogadishu. Furthermore, prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and evaluate urban-rural heterogeneity.
甲型肝炎病毒（HAV）是全球最常见的可通过疫苗预防的病毒性肝炎病因。由于索马里被认为是甲型肝炎的高度流行地区，甲型肝炎疫苗并未被纳入世界卫生组织扩大免疫计划。本研究旨在确定索马里首都摩加迪沙的甲型肝炎感染流行率。
回顾性分析了 2019 年 1 月至 2021 年 1 月期间在摩加迪沙培训与研究医院就诊的 1153 人的血清学结果，以评估抗-HAV IgG 和 IgM 的存在情况。根据年龄和性别分析抗-HAV IgG 和 IgM 的血清流行率。还比较了 11 岁年龄组之间抗-HAV IgG 的血清流行率。
抗-HAV IgG 和 IgM 的血清流行率在性别之间无显著差异。总体而言，抗-HAV IgG 的血清流行率为 67.6%。抗-HAV IgG 血清阳性率在年龄≥41 岁的成年人中最高（88.9%），在 1-2 岁的儿童中最低（29.4%）。人群免疫中点的估计年龄为 5 岁，与高流行率相符。此外，还观察到青少年年龄段存在较高的甲型肝炎感染率。
本研究证实了摩加迪沙甲型肝炎的高流行率。这些数据将有助于通过改善摩加迪沙的卫生计划来规划预防和控制措施。此外，还需要进行前瞻性研究来确认这些发现并评估城乡异质性。
