MOLECULAR DETECTION OF HEPATITIS A VIRUS (HAV) IN CHILDREN PRESENTING WITH DIARRHOEA IN OGUN STATE

Abstract

Hepatitis is a viral infection that causes the inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis A is one of the viral types of hepatitis common world wide with approximately 1.5 million cases annually. It is caused by the hepatitis A Virus (HAV) and can be transmitted via faecal oral route. Symptoms of hepatitis A virus infection include: Jaundice, dark colored urine, fever, malaise, diarrhea and loss of appetite. HAV is presumed to be prevalent in developing countries where there is an unavailability of safe drinking water, bad hygiene and sanitary practices. Information on the infection of HAV in Nigerian children is limited. The aim of this hospital based cross sectional study is to know the prevalence of HAV infection in children in Ogun state, Nigeria by detecting the presence of hepatitis A virus in the stool samples of children presenting with diarrhoea using molecular techniques. A hospital based cross sectional study was carried out in primary health care centres in Abeokuta Local Government Area and Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Consents were obtained from the child's caregiver, with the help of the nursing staff and a total of one hundred (100) stool samples were collected from children presenting with diarrhea aged 5 years and below. Stool samples were analysed for the presence of hepatitis A virus using molecular techniques. The viral RNA was extracted from the samples, the cDNA was generated and was screened for the presence of Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) using 2-step RT-PCR and results were obtained after agarose gel electrophoresis. Absence of bands showed that no subject tested positive for hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. In conclusion this study showed that HAV was not prevalent in the study population and this led to the conclusion that HAV was not endemic in the area.