Seroepidemiology of HBV infection in South Korea, 1995 through 1999.
- Author:
Myoung Kuk JANG
1
;
Ja Young LEE
;
Jin Heon LEE
;
Yong Bum KIM
;
Hak Yang KIM
;
Myung Seok LEE
;
Choong Kee PARK
;
Jae Young YOO
Author Information
1. Kangwon Branch, Korea Association of Health, Gastoenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
epidemiology;
hepatitis B virus;
Korea;
vaccination
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Adult;
Age Distribution;
Aged;
Child;
Female;
Health Surveys;
Hepatitis B/blood/*diagnosis/*epidemiology;
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/*analysis;
Hepatitis B Virus/*isolation & purification;
Hepatitis B, Chronic/blood/diagnosis/epidemiology;
Human;
Korea/epidemiology;
Male;
Middle Age;
Prevalence;
Risk Factors;
Serologic Tests/methods;
Sex Distribution
- From:The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine
2001;16(3):153-159
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: We analyzed serologic data that were obtained from the Korea Association of Health from 1995 to 1999 to estimate the reliable prevalence of HBV in South Korea. METHODS: 603,375, 639,465, 621,476, 612,705 and 650,398 serum samples were annually tested for HBsAg. Of HBsAg positive persons whose serum samples were available, HBeAg positivity was checked. RESULTS: HBsAg positivities among subjects between 6 and 19 years old were 8.2%, 3.9%, 2.1%, 2.6% and 1.3%. HBsAg positivities among subjects above 20 years old were 8.9%, 6.4%, 5.9%, 5.4% and 5.4%. The positive rates of HBeAg were 39.8 to 62.9% among subjects between 6 and 19 years old, and 18.3 to 37.9% among persons above 20 years old, in each year. In both subgroups, HBsAg positivity in the latter year was significantly lower than that in the former year (p <0.001). It also showed that HBsAg positivities among subjects between 6 and 19 years old have been significantly lower than those among subjects above 20 years old, but those of HBeAg the exact reverse of HBsAg since 1996 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that prevalence of HBV infection in the late 1990s, especially in the group between 6 and 19 years old, was conspicuously lower than that in the past. The nationwide vaccination programme might be one of the most important contributors to this tendency in Korea.
