pdf Analysis of Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) Infection in Eastern of Baghdad, Iraq

Osama Mohammed Hasan, Khairia Jaber Totli and Samar Abdul Raheem Al- Gharrawi

Abstract

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a prevalent viral infection in Iraq, making it crucial to determine its asymptomatic presence for effective community-level infection management.The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of HAV in a nationally representative population in eastern Baghdad, Iraq, to identify variables associated with seropositivity, and to assess changes in the epidemiological pattern.This study was conducted from January 2023 to July 2023. Patients aged 1-45 years were randomly sampled. HAV immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels were measured, and data on sex, place of residence, and age were collected. A total of 371 subjects (199 male and 172 female) participated in the study. The overall seroprevalence of HAV IgM was highest in the age groups 1-4 years (59.42%) and 5-14 years (62.59%), while 46.15% and 60.38% of patients were in the age groups <1 year and 15-45 years, respectively. The distribution of HAV was higher in males (62.21%) compared to females (58.79%), indicating , a substantial difference between male and female HAV infected individuals