Soroepidemiologia da infecção pelo vírus da hepatite A em “meninos de/na rua” de Goiânia-Goiás

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was p erform ed to determine the age-prevalence o f hepatitis A virus CHAV) am ong street youth from Goiania city - Central Brazil, an d to determine i f any risk factors could be identified. The surveys were conducted between 1991/1992. The street youth were 397 individuals aged 7 to 21 years old living in institutions a n d teenagers working at streets. Then, 313 adolescents working at streets an d with fam ily links, an d 84 institutionalized ones without fam ily w ere screen ed f o r antibodies against HAV. Prevalences ranged from 80.0% to 92.2% to total anti-HAV a n d there was not a statistically significant trend ofpositivity with age in this group. Unvariate analysis fo r risk factors associated with HAV infection was perform ed with no statistically significant difference fo r adolescents working at streets a n d living with parents, an d street youth with fa m ily links. Econom ic variables were not statistically associated with seropositivity, probable due to homogenous characteristics o f the group. This study disclosed that street youth have a high rate o f HAV infection. These fin din gs do not suggest differences between subgroups o f populations in acquiring immunity to HVA. The public health im plication a n d the n eed o f screening other subgroups o f population o f the sam e city were suggested in order to discuss vaccine strategy in underdeveloped countries