Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is transmitted by the fecal-oral route, 
and the epidemiology of HAV is associated with hygiene and 
socioeconomic status. In this study, we investigated the 
seropositivity for HAV and the associated socioeconomic 
factors in children. In addition, we compared the results with 
previously reported seropositivity data from the same center in 
Uskudar, Istanbul, Turkey, from 1996. A number of 400 
children aged between 2-18 years, from the outpatient clinics, 
were tested for anti-HAV IgG antibodies and a questionnaire 
was administered that addressed gender, age, number of 
household members, monthly family income, history of 
jaundice and immunization, number of rooms in the house, 
education level of the parents, day-care/school attendance, and 
type of water supply. The overall seropositivity was 12.5%. 
The seropositivity increased with increasing age: 11.5% in 
children 2-<6 years old and 13.2% in children 10-18 years old. 
Significant associations between anti-HAV seropositivity and 
socioeconomic status, a history of jaundice, monthly family 
income were found (p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.04, respectively). 
Also children under 6 years old, who were attending day-care 
had higher seropositivity rates. Only the association between 
the history of jaundice and anti-HAV seropositivity remained 
significant in the multivariate analysis, with an adjusted Odds 
ratio of 13.1 (95% CI, 2.9-59.5; p=0.001). There was a 
significant decline in the overall seropositivity for anti-HAV  between 1996 and 2011. The frequency and severity of 
clinical HAV infection may increase in older age groups, 
and as a consequence, outbreaks can occur.