Children are the most frequently infected group by Hepatitis A virus(HAV). Viral hepatitis infections are frequently observed in preschool age, among schoolchildren and young adults, and within closed institutions . Frequently, it is difficult to collect blood samples, especially from infants, children, and individuals to whom access is limited. Urine samples are easier to collect, the collection method is not invasive, and collection does not require qualified staff. In addition, urine samples can be tested without previous concentration or treatments by using a class-specific antibody capture assay .The main goal of this study was to test the feasibility of using urine as a specimen for detection of anti-HAV antibodies IgM for diagnosing HAV infections. A correlation of 90.78% between the test results of urine and serum samples was obtained. The levels of anti-HAV immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for hepatitis A were performed on paired serum and urine specimens collected from hepatitis A patients (n = 100) and healthy individuals (n = 50). Hepatitis A patients seropositive for anti-HAV IgM showed 95.65% uropositivity. No false-positive reactions were observed in control groups. The uropositivity of anti-HAV IgM persisted during the convalescent phase of the disease. Using seroreactivity as a "gold standard," the sensitivity and specificity for anti-HAV IgM, tests with urine as a specimen were found to be 95.65 and 76.47%. Urine appears to be comparable to serum for diagnosis of recent infection with hepatitis A. |
