title: Age-specific prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among teenagers in Sardinia.
abstract: In 1989, the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers was studied using Elisa method in a sample of 1357 healthy high school 14-19 year old teenagers in Sardinia. The overall prevalence of any HBV marker was 4.7%, increasing from 3.6% among 14-16 year old teenagers to 5.7% in 17-19 year olds. The overall prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 1.1%, similar in both age groups. A slight male preponderance was observed (5% versus 4.4% for any HBV marker and 1.7% versus 0.6% for HBsAg, respectively). The prevalence of any HBV marker was not associated with the family size (O.R. 1.5; CI 95% = 0.6-4.5), but it was inversely related to the number of years of education received by the father. Teenagers whose fathers had received less than six years of schooling had a 2.3 fold risk (CI 95% = 1.1-5.2) of previous exposure to HBV infection. Comparing these findings with recent results in children and adults in the same area, a cohort effect is likely evident.
authors: Laboratorio di Epidemiologia, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Stroffolini
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Franco
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Mura
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Uccheddu
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Zaratti
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Castiglia
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Scarpa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004493:Education; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens