BACKGROUND: In recent years there has been a substantial reduction in hepatitis B incidence as a result of routine vaccination of preadolescents and the selective vaccination of high risk groups and newborns of HBsAg+ mothers. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection markers and of serologic markers of hepatitis B vaccination in a representative sample of pregnant women in Catalonia. STUDY DESIGN: A representative sample was obtained by random cluster sampling (hospitals with maternity units) stratified by provinces. Anti-HBc, anti-HBs and HBsAg were determined using an ELISA test (Behring, Marburg, Germany). The crude and adjusted odds ratios for the sociodemographic variables analyzed were also calculated. RESULTS: The global prevalence of carriers of HBsAg+ was 0.1% (95% CI 0.0-0.3), that of hepatitis B infection (anti-HBc+) was 5% (95% CI 3.9-6.1) and that of serologic markers of vaccination (anti-HBs+ and anti-HBc-) was 16.4% (95% CI 14.5-18.2) The prevalence of infection increased with age from 3.0% (15-19 years age group) to 14.8% (40-44 years age group). The prevalence of anti-HBc+ was higher in women born in Asia (27.6%) and Africa (18.8%) than in those born in Spain (3.7%), Europe (3.3%) and America (4.6%), with the differences being statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm the change in the pattern of endemicity of hepatitis B infection in pregnant women in Catalonia after the introduction of vaccination programmes. They also confirm the increasingly important role played by immigration in the epidemiology of hepatitis B.
BACKGROUND: In recent years there has been a substantial reduction in hepatitis B incidence as a result of routine vaccination of preadolescents and the selective vaccination of high risk groups and newborns of HBsAg+ mothers. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection markers and of serologic markers of hepatitis B vaccination in a representative sample of pregnant women in Catalonia. STUDY DESIGN: A representative sample was obtained by random cluster sampling (hospitals with maternity units) stratified by provinces. Anti-HBc, anti-HBs and HBsAg were determined using an ELISA test (Behring, Marburg, Germany). The crude and adjusted odds ratios for the sociodemographic variables analyzed were also calculated. RESULTS: The global prevalence of carriers of HBsAg+ was 0.1% (95% CI 0.0-0.3), that of hepatitis B infection (anti-HBc+) was 5% (95% CI 3.9-6.1) and that of serologic markers of vaccination (anti-HBs+ and anti-HBc-) was 16.4% (95% CI 14.5-18.2) The prevalence of infection increased with age from 3.0% (15-19 years age group) to 14.8% (40-44 years age group). The prevalence of anti-HBc+ was higher in women born in Asia (27.6%) and Africa (18.8%) than in those born in Spain (3.7%), Europe (3.3%) and America (4.6%), with the differences being statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm the change in the pattern of endemicity of hepatitis B infection in pregnant women in Catalonia after the introduction of vaccination programmes. They also confirm the increasingly important role played by immigration in the epidemiology of hepatitis B.
Authors: Ángeles Ruiz-Extremera; María Del Mar Díaz-Alcázar; José Antonio Muñoz-Gámez; Marta Cabrera-Lafuente; Estefanía Martín; Rosa Patricia Arias-Llorente; Pilar Carretero; José Luis Gallo-Vallejo; Francisca Romero-Narbona; M A Salmerón-Ruiz; Clara Alonso-Diaz; Rafael Maese-Heredia; Lucas Cerrillos; Ana María Fernández-Alonso; Carmen Camarena; Josefa Aguayo; Miguel Sánchez-Forte; Manuel Rodríguez-Maresca; Alfredo Pérez-Rivilla; Rosa Quiles-Pérez; Paloma Muñoz de Rueda; Manuela Expósito-Ruiz; Federico García; Fernando García; Javier Salmerón Journal: PLoS One Date: 2020-05-21 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Susan J M Hahné; Irene K Veldhuijzen; Lucas Wiessing; Tek-Ang Lim; Mika Salminen; Marita van de Laar Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2013-04-18 Impact factor: 3.090
Authors: S H I Hofstraat; A M Falla; E F Duffell; S J M Hahné; A J Amato-Gauci; I K Veldhuijzen; L Tavoschi Journal: Epidemiol Infect Date: 2017-09-11 Impact factor: 2.451