Prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infection among adults in Korea

Abstract

Abstract To compare the prevalences of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in three populations (urban, island, and rural areas), a seroepidemiologic study of HBV and HCV was conducted in Korea, where an HBV is endemic. The study population comprised 1733 adults at least 20 years of age: 532 (male 459, female 73) health examinees (Korean Medical Insurance Corporation [KMIC] beneficiaries) were from Pusan City (urban); 646 (male 531, female 115) health examinees (KMIC beneficiaries) were from Cheju Island (island); and 555 (male 247, female 308) volunteers were from Haman, a rural area in Kyongsangnam Province (rural). A structured questionnaire was completed for each individual by trained interviewers at the time of the health survey of the rural population. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by the health examinees in the urban and island populations. The prevalence of HBsAg in the three populations (age- and sex standardized) was 5.1% in the urban, 6.9% in the island, and 6.1% in the rural populations. These values were not significantly different from each other or from the national population. In contrast, the prevalence of anti-HCV in the rural population (age- and sex-standardized) was 5.4%. This value was higher than that of the urban (0.8%) and island (0.6%) rates. A history of transfusion was not associated with the HCV infection. This study suggests that the rural area is highly endemic for HCV infection and the route of HCV infection is other than blood transfusion in Korea.