Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Children in The Eastern Anatolia

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigateantibody (hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunity)seropositivity and HBV carriage state in children in theEastern Anatolia.Method: The study was performed from January toDecember 1999. Eight-hundred and fifty-three healthychildren (421 boys and 432 girls) younger than 15 yearswere included in the study. Serum HBsAg and itsantibody (antiHBs) were tested by radioimmunoassaysusing Ausria II and Ausab (Abbott Laboratories, NorthChicago, Ill), respectively.Results: HBsAg and anti-HBs positivity were found as84/853 (9.8 %) and 64/853 (7.5%), respectively. HBsAgseropositivity is significantly higher than the reportedrates in previous studies in Turkey.Conclusion: The prevalence of HBV carriage inchildhood is significantly high in the Eastern Anatolia.Effective screening and vaccination programmes withhealth education and socioeconomic development arecornerstones in the prevention of HBV infection in thisregion.Key words: Hepatitis B, seroepidemiology, children