PREVALENCE OF ANTI-HEV ANTIBODY AMONG CHILDREN OF PRIMARY SCHOOL

Objectives: The aim of this study is to interrogate the prevalence of anti-HEV antibody among the children of primary school in Gujranwala, Pakistan. Methodology: The investigation of the antibodies of Anti-Hepatitis E virus carried out in one hundred and eighty-five children of primary school in which ninety-one non-urban areas and ninety-four children were from Gujranwala. The separation of the children carried out in two groups of age like group of 7 years of age and group of 14 year of age children. The testing of the samples carried out for anti-hepatitis E virus antibody with the utilization of the enzyme linked immunoassay. Results: A sum of twenty-three children of primary school was positive in anti-hepatitis E virus antibody. The prevalence rate was 12.40%. The rate of prevalence was 13.10% in non-urban regions and 11.70% in the city areas. The disparity in the rates of sero-positive was not much significant. Among total one hundred and eighty-five children of primary school, anti- hepatitis E virus antibodies were available as positive in 18.10% (n: 17) in the group of 7 years of age & 6.60% (n: 6) in the group of 14 year of age. This disparity among the rates of positivity was significant between the children of both groups. Conclusions: We found no relationship between the anti-hepatitis E virus antibody and sex of the student, level of social and economic condition, qualification level of parents and none-urban or city areas. The prevalence of anti-hepatitis E virus antibody was much high in the group of seven years of age in comparison with the group of 14 year of age children. Keywords: Anti-HEV Antibody, Hepatitis, Non-Urban, City, Outbreak, Immunoassay, economic, rates, enzymes