OBJECTIVE: To determine a) population-based hepatitis B seroprevalence rates; and b) associated behavioural risk factors. SETTING: A remote northern Ontario town with a cluster of hepatitis B cases. INTERVENTIONS: Anonymous blood testing linked with risk-factor questionnaires. RESULTS: 635 persons aged 14 to 30 years (51% of the eligible age cohort) donated blood in return for free vaccination; four were anti-HBs positive, and none was HBsAg positive. In all, 19% of participants reported two or more sexual partners in the previous year, 6% reported at least one tattooing in the previous year, and 1% reported illicit injection drug use. Of persons with multiple sexual partners 84% did not consistently use condoms. CONCLUSIONS: When the serological results of the original cluster (and contacts) were considered, the age cohort's HBsAg seroprevalence rate was estimated to be between 0.24% and 0.47%. While the serosurvey did not discover additional HBsAg positive cases, there was great potential for heterosexual transmission.
OBJECTIVE: To determine a) population-based hepatitis B seroprevalence rates; and b) associated behavioural risk factors. SETTING: A remote northern Ontario town with a cluster of hepatitis B cases. INTERVENTIONS: Anonymous blood testing linked with risk-factor questionnaires. RESULTS: 635 persons aged 14 to 30 years (51% of the eligible age cohort) donated blood in return for free vaccination; four were anti-HBs positive, and none was HBsAg positive. In all, 19% of participants reported two or more sexual partners in the previous year, 6% reported at least one tattooing in the previous year, and 1% reported illicit injection drug use. Of persons with multiple sexual partners 84% did not consistently use condoms. CONCLUSIONS: When the serological results of the original cluster (and contacts) were considered, the age cohort's HBsAg seroprevalence rate was estimated to be between 0.24% and 0.47%. While the serosurvey did not discover additional HBsAg positive cases, there was great potential for heterosexual transmission.
Authors: H X Wu; A Andonov; A Giulivi; N J Goedhuis; B Baptiste; J Furseth; D Poliquin; J I P Chan; G Bolesnikov; B Moffat; S Paton; J Wu Journal: Int J Med Sci Date: 2005-10-01 Impact factor: 3.738
Authors: Stephen Ip; Jo-Ann Ford; Kirby Lau; Vladimir Marquez; Marisa Guan; Carolyn Klassen; Jessica Chan; Wc Peter Kwan; Mel Krajden; Eric M Yoshida Journal: Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol Date: 2015 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 2.471