Faeco-orally transmitted viral hepatitis in african children

Abstract

1Department of paediatrics, university of calabar and university of calabar teaching hospital, calabar, nigeria. ABSTRACTThe faeco-orally transmitted hepatotropic viruses -hepatitis A and hepatitis E viruses-are endemic in Africa. While transmission has reduced remarkably in Europe and North America in the past decades, it has remained unchanged in Africa with hepatitis A prevalence remaining at above 50% and hepatitis E more than 7%. Much of this transmission occurs during childhood with the important drivers/predictors being poor water supply, poor sewage disposal facilities, low socioeconomic class, crowding, and poor social conditions arising from conflict. Initial clinical features in children are difficult to distinguish from malaria which is also endemic in the region. Commercially available ELISA kits present the best option for laboratory diagnosis of both viruses in Africa. While effective vaccines suitable for the African situation have been developed recently, improved water supply and sanitation are sine qua non for the prevention of transmission of both viruses among African children. Interventional studies are needed in the region.