Age-related rate of seropositivity of antibody to XXXX in four diverse populations.

@entity461 @entity281 @entity1
We used a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay to determine the age-specific rates of acquisition of antibody to @entity461 in populations living in an inner city area of Baltimore, Md., on an Apache Indian reservation in Arizona, in a rural area of Panama, and in an urban area of Peru (Lima). Antibody to @entity461 was found in a portion of the adults living in all of the study areas. Similar prevalence rates and quantitative levels of antibody were found in the adults living in Arizona (44%), Panama (48%), and Peru (46%). However, a significantly lower (P less than 0.05) percentage of the adults living in Baltimore (18%) displayed serological evidence of @entity281 . Different patterns of age-associated acquisition of antibody were noted in the study populations. In the United States, @entity1 living in Baltimore had low levels of seropositivity throughout childhood, whereas @entity1 living on the Arizona Indian reservation showed a progressive acquisition of antibody early in childhood, with adult levels achieved by 8 years of age. In Latin America, @entity1 living in Panama attained adult levels of seropositivity between 9 and 20 years of age, whereas @entity1 in Peru displayed adult levels of seropositivity in the first 6 months of life. Our findings documented the widespread occurrence of @entity461 infections in diverse populations. @entity1 living in different areas and under different environmental conditions displayed widely differing rates of acquisition of antibody to @entity461 , possibly resulting from different levels of sanitation, water contamination, and @entity1 -to- @entity1 contact. Our studies indicate that quantitative solid-phase immunoassays can be used to study the epidemiology of @entity281 such as those caused by @entity461 .
