[The seroepidemiology of the hepatitis A virus in children and adolescents].

OBJECTIVE

To know the prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) in a population of children and teenagers pertaining to three municipalities of the Autonomous Community of Madrid (CAM).

DESIGN

Cross-study. SITE. The study was conducted in three public schools centers of the municipalities located in the Southeast of the (CAM).

PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Students between the ages of 6 and 17 whose parents authorized them to be tested.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The presence of anti-HAV antibodies in the serum of 729 students was investigated. Thirty eight of them presented a positive mark, which indicates a prevalence of 5.34%. In the males, the prevalence was 5.7% and in the females it was 5%.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies is low in our population, agreeing with the delay in the age that the infection is acquired according to various publications.