Cohen D et al. are transmitted via the faecalCoral route. High transmission rates can be expected in populations of low socioeconomic status usually characterized by low income, high crowdedness, Divalproex sodium and improved contact with Rabbit Polyclonal to OR2AT4 young children. The improved risk of exposure to such pathogens may be reflected in a high prevalence of antibodies to these organisms attained in the early years of existence. The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A disease (HAV) is known to be associated with low socioeconomic status and varies in different parts of the world like a function of hygienic and sanitation factors [1, 2]. The association of additional bacterial and protozoan enteric pathogens with low socioeconomic status is definitely less Divalproex sodium founded. A small study comparing antibodies from representative groups of Costa Rican and Swedish ladies suggested correlation with socioeconomic status [3]. In Israel, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antibodies in young adults were associated with a low socioeconomic background [4]. Socioeconomic factors were important correlates of early exposure to and high seroprevalence to the parasite in some studies [5, 6] but not in others [7]. The association of O157:H7 with socioeconomic status is still not founded. Although it is definitely assumed that recurrent bacterial and protozoan enteric infections will boost the immune system against the homologous antigens keeping elicited levels of antibodies [8], it is not known how similar this would become with the lifelong antibody response induced by HAV exposure. In this study, we reassessed the association between low socioeconomic status and seroprevalence of HAV antibodies in teenagers living in three areas in Israel and examined, in the same individuals, the antibody levels to additional faeco-orally transmitted pathogens, bacterial and protozoan. METHODS Study human population The populations of three towns of different socioeconomic status served as sampling framework for the study: a high standard of living (HSL) town; a middle-low standard of living (MSL) town; and a low standard of living (LSL) Bedouin town. All three towns were located in the south portion of Israel within 20 kilometers of each additional, and had related geographical characteristics (desert weather with hot dry summer season from June to September and a short mild rainy winter season from December to March). Although some interactions between the populations of the three towns happen (i.e. at work, market, hospital) they live separately, and attend independent schools. Human population and housing characteristics were thoroughly investigated in 1995 from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. Socioeconomic status was measured by: quantity of children in the household (quantity of individuals/space), percentage of people with only main education, and income. The MSL town had a high percentage of occupants of non-European source compared to the HSL town. Potable water was supplied to the three towns from the same supplier (Mekorot Divalproex sodium Organization) using different sources but following a same national policy of chlorination. The supply to the HSL town, pipe water from a local drill, was completely separate from your other areas (Table 1). Table 1 Socioeconomic characteristics and source of water supply of the three areas Open in a separate windowpane HSL, High standard of living; MSL, medium standard of living; LSL, low standard of living; n.r., Non-relevant data. At the time of recruitment (1996), the children of the three towns were not vaccinated against hepatitis A. Large-scale enteric disease outbreaks had not been reported in any of the three town populations preceding the initiation of the study. Data and specimen collection During the winter season of 1996, in each of the three areas, one investigator (O.A.) approached 200 children in one representative school. For each school, 1C2 classes (to protect 50 children) from each of the cohorts analyzed in.