S S H Suen1, T T Lao, O K Chan, T K Lau, T Y Leung, P K S Chan. 1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To determine the effect of age on the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection during a routine screening programme of first-year students enrolled in Health Sciences Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 2001 to 2009. METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study, data on the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status was retrieved from the University Health Service and analysed according to the age of the student at testing and year of birth. RESULTS: Of the 2,688 students enrolled in the study group, 79 (2.9 %) tested positive for HBsAg. The prevalence increased significantly from 0.9, 2.3, 4.3 to 5.5 % for those tested at age ≤ 18, 19, 20 and ≥ 21 years, respectively (p < 0.001). On logistic regression analysis, taking age ≤ 18 years and year of birth before 1983 (before the availability of HBV vaccination) as the reference group, HBV infection increased progressively with age, with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.36 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.01-11.23], 6.04 (95 % CI 1.74-20.98) and 11.61 (95 % CI 3.20-42.13) for age 19, 20 and ≥ 21 years, respectively. There was no significant change in the odds ratio after adjustment for the year of birth before and after introduction of the vaccination programme. CONCLUSION: Among the university students enrolled in our study, the overall prevalence of HBV infection before and after the introduction of HBV vaccination was lower than the 10 % found in the general population. There was, however, a significant progressive increase with age at testing from ≤ 18 to ≥ 21 years, suggesting a previously overlooked contribution of horizontal transmission to the high prevalence of HBV infection found in our adult population.
PURPOSE: To determine the effect of age on the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection during a routine screening programme of first-year students enrolled in Health Sciences Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 2001 to 2009. METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study, data on the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status was retrieved from the University Health Service and analysed according to the age of the student at testing and year of birth. RESULTS: Of the 2,688 students enrolled in the study group, 79 (2.9 %) tested positive for HBsAg. The prevalence increased significantly from 0.9, 2.3, 4.3 to 5.5 % for those tested at age ≤ 18, 19, 20 and ≥ 21 years, respectively (p < 0.001). On logistic regression analysis, taking age ≤ 18 years and year of birth before 1983 (before the availability of HBV vaccination) as the reference group, HBV infection increased progressively with age, with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.36 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.01-11.23], 6.04 (95 % CI 1.74-20.98) and 11.61 (95 % CI 3.20-42.13) for age 19, 20 and ≥ 21 years, respectively. There was no significant change in the odds ratio after adjustment for the year of birth before and after introduction of the vaccination programme. CONCLUSION: Among the university students enrolled in our study, the overall prevalence of HBV infection before and after the introduction of HBV vaccination was lower than the 10 % found in the general population. There was, however, a significant progressive increase with age at testing from ≤ 18 to ≥ 21 years, suggesting a previously overlooked contribution of horizontal transmission to the high prevalence of HBV infection found in our adult population.
Authors: S Kashiwagi; J Hayashi; H Ikematsu; H Nomura; W Kajiyama; T Shingu; K Hayashida; M Kaji Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 1984-10 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: M Demir; J Nigemeier; F Kütting; A Bowe; C Schramm; V Hoffmann; D Waldschmidt; T Goeser; H-M Steffen Journal: Infection Date: 2015-02-21 Impact factor: 3.553
Authors: Terence T Lao; Daljit S Sahota; Lai-Wa Law; Yvonne K Y Cheng; Tak-Yeung Leung Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2014-09-03 Impact factor: 9.408