Hepatitis B carriers in large vehicle drivers of Iran.

Hepatitis B is a serious cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in Iran is about 1.7% but little is known about the high-risk occupations. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of HBsAg and assess risk factors of infection in Iran's large vehicle drivers as a high-risk group. The population studied included 1113 large vehicle drivers. Study was carried out in 51 police stations in roads of 17 provinces around the country. From each of the sites 20-30 large vehicle drivers were randomly selected. An interview with each of the subjects was performed and a blood sample was taken. The prevalence of HBsAg was 5.9% (confidence interval (CI) 95%: 4.5-7.3%) which was significantly different from the prevalence in general population in the same age group (P<0.0001). Cost-effectiveness studies regarding immunization programs for this high-risk group is suggested.