OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk of HBV infection among the spouses of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and to provide a reference for developing strategies on hepatitis B control and prevention.

METHODSA case-control study including HBsAg carriers aged 20 - 45 years-old from the nationwide sero-epidemiological survey for Hepatitis B in both Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces in 2006, together with their spouses were selected as case group, while. HBsAg negative persons and their spouses were among the control groups, under the same residential areas, gender, age and age of marriage to the HBsAg carriers. Questionnaire survey and hepatitis B serological markers detection were carried out, together with the HBV genotype detection among the HBsAg positive couples between husband and wife by PCR.

RESULTSAmong the spouses of HBsAg carriers, the positive rate of HBsAg was 13.21%, while the rate was 6.29% for the spouse of HBsAg negative population, with difference statistically significant (χ² = 4.23, P < 0.05). HBsAg positive rate among spouses of the case group was higher than that in the control group. Among the spouses of HBsAg carriers, the HBsAg rate was positively correlated with the age of marriage, frequency of sexual intercourse and condom use. There were 21 pairs of HBsAg carriers between husband and wife, and HBV were isolated among 13 pairs, and there were 11 pairs carrying the same HBV genotype, accounting for 84.62%. HBV genotypes would include 8 pairs of type B and 3 pairs of type C. However, only 2 pairs were infected with different HBV genotype.

CONCLUSIONHigh risks of HBV infection existed in the spouses of HBsAg carriers. It was important to ask the HBsAg carriers to take the initiative in informing their spouses, and carrying out the appropriate measures, such as safe sex or timely hepatitis B vaccination for the spouse of HBsAg carriers etc., so as to reduce the HBV transmission between husband and wife.