Abstract
BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health burden in China although it has steadily declined over the last two decades. A valid updated prevalence of HBV infection in China relies on a large sample size. Hence this study aimed to estimate HBV seroprevalence using a large inpatient population in Northeast China.MethodsWe consecutively enrolled 218,627 inpatients aged 1–70 years admitted to the First Hospital of Jilin University from January 2010 through December 2014. HBV serological markers were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA).ResultsAmong the 218,627 collected samples, 16,254 (7.43%) were positive for HBsAg and 41.64% of patients were negative for all the HBV markers. The highest HBsAg prevalence was 10.05% in the 41–50 year age group and the lowest were 0.47% in the 1–10 and 2.35% in the 11–20 year age groups, respectively. HBsAg positivity was higher in males compared to females (8.94% vs. 5.80%). An HBsAg positivity of nearly 14% was found in middle-aged males, and positivity was 6.2% in females of childbearing age. One-third of this population only had a single HBsAb marker, which was also detected in 60% of patients aged under 20 years.ConclusionThough universal hepatitis B vaccination of infants has significantly reduced HBsAg prevalence in children, the number of most adults who have been infected with HBV remains steady. Extra care and resources should be provided to HBV-infected middle-aged males to stop the progression of chronic hepatitis B, and HBsAg positive females of childbearing age to block vertical HBV transmission.
Highlights
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health burden in China it has steadily declined over the last two decades
In 1992, just before the implementation of the universal HBV vaccination of infants, a nationwide survey sampling 61,702 participants across 30 provinces in mainland China found that the overall HBsAg positivity was 9.8% [11]
The 2006 study found that HBsAg positivity had fallen to 7.2% in the general population
Summary
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health burden in China it has steadily declined over the last two decades. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a huge public health burden in China [1, 2] despite the success of HBV vaccination. Since this universal HBV vaccination strategy was implemented among infants from the early 1990s, HBsAg seroprevalence in China has decreased, . In 1992, just before the implementation of the universal HBV vaccination of infants, a nationwide survey sampling 61,702 participants across 30 provinces in mainland China found that the overall HBsAg positivity was 9.8% (range: 4.5–17.9%) [11]. The latest national survey of hepatitis B virus infection conducted in 2014 (sample size: 31,713) only covered people aged 1–29 years. HBsAg prevalence among participants aged 1–4, 5–14, and 15– 29 years was 0.3, 0.9, and 4.4%, respectively [3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
