Hepatitis A virus infections in Belgian children

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Development of a Hepatitis B Virus Reporter System to Monitor the Early Stages of the Replication Cycle
09:35

Development of a Hepatitis B Virus Reporter System to Monitor the Early Stages of the Replication Cycle

Published on: February 1, 2017

R Vranckx1

  • 1National Viral Hepatitis Centre, Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Brussels, Belgium.

Infection
|May 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections in children often go unnoticed. This study found HAV immunity prevalence increases with age, reaching 33.9% in 16-20 year olds, with only 10% of infections being clinically recognized.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in childhood frequently presents without noticeable symptoms.
  • Understanding the prevalence of HAV immunity and clinical presentation is crucial for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of immunity to HAV (anti-HAV IgG) across different age groups in children and teenagers.
  • To evaluate the percentages of clinically apparent versus subclinical HAV infections.
  • To analyze the age distribution of HAV immunity and infection recognition.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 1,008 participants aged 0-20 years from the Brussels area.
  • Random serum collection from a general hospital setting.
  • Stratification of participants into six distinct age groups for analysis.

Main Results:

  • Overall prevalence of anti-HAV IgG among children and teenagers was 13.4%.
  • Prevalence of immunity significantly increased with age, from 4.8% in 1-2 year olds to 33.9% in 16-20 year olds.
  • Approximately 10% of HAV infections were clinically recognized across all studied age groups, with variations by age bracket.

Conclusions:

  • HAV immunity prevalence rises substantially throughout childhood and adolescence.
  • The majority of HAV infections in this pediatric population likely remain subclinical.
  • Age-specific data on HAV prevalence and clinical recognition are essential for targeted interventions.

More Related Videos

"Liver-on-a-Chip" Cultures of Primary Hepatocytes and Kupffer Cells for Hepatitis B Virus Infection10:25

"Liver-on-a-Chip" Cultures of Primary Hepatocytes and Kupffer Cells for Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Published on: February 19, 2019

A Cell Culture Model for Producing High Titer Hepatitis E Virus Stocks10:28

A Cell Culture Model for Producing High Titer Hepatitis E Virus Stocks

Published on: June 26, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Chickenpox01:20

Chickenpox

Chickenpox is an acute, highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Herpesviridae family. Its transmission occurs primarily through the inhalation of respiratory droplets or direct contact with vesicular fluid from skin lesions. The incubation period typically ranges from 10 to 21 days, during which the virus replicates and disseminates through sequential phases within the host. Although generally self-limiting in children,...
Poliomyelitis01:17

Poliomyelitis

Poliomyelitis is caused by poliovirus, a small, non-enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus of the Picornaviridae family and Enterovirus genus. Transmission occurs primarily via the fecal-oral route, often through ingestion of contaminated water or food. The virus initially replicates in the oropharynx and intestinal mucosa, particularly in lymphoid tissues such as the tonsils, Peyer’s patches, and regional lymph nodes. Primary viremia follows, allowing dissemination throughout the body.In most...
Yellow Fever01:18

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), a member of the Flaviviridae family. It is transmitted primarily by Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and South America. After transmission through a mosquito bite, the virus initially replicates in skin-resident immune cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages. These cells then migrate to the lymph nodes, where viral replication increases, eventually leading to...
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease01:29

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a widespread pathogen that primarily targets infants and young children but also poses a serious health risk to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Belonging to the Pneumoviridae family, RSV is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus within the Pneumovirus genus. Its global health burden is significant, with millions of cases annually resulting in hospitalizations and mortality, particularly in resource-limited settings. Although most...
Hepatitis01:25

Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver most commonly caused by hepatotropic viruses (A–E), though non-infectious causes such as alcohol and drugs also exist.Hepatitis AHepatitis A virus (HAV) is a non-enveloped RNA virus of the Picornaviridae family. It is primarily transmitted via the fecal-oral route, typically through ingestion of contaminated food or water. After ingestion, HAV enters the bloodstream through the oropharynx or intestinal epithelium and reaches the liver. The...
Viral Hepatitis I: Introduction01:28

Viral Hepatitis I: Introduction

Viral hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver caused by infection with hepatotropic viruses, most commonly hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Despite variations in structure and transmission, all viruses mentioned infect hepatocytes and provoke immune responses that can hinder liver function. Additionally, some non-hepatotropic viruses can also lead to hepatic inflammation.Hepatitis A VirusHepatitis A virus (HAV) is transmitted through the fecal–oral route, typically by ingestion of food...