title: [Prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis A virus infection among health sciences students in Catalonia, Spain].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To know current hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis A (HAV) infection status among a group of health sciences students during 1990-1993 period.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  1,734 health sciences students during 1990-1991, 1992-1993 and 1993-1994 academic years.
  
  
  METHODS
  demographic variables, vaccination history against HAV and HBV viruses, anti-HBc and anti-HAV antibody titres (ELISA kits).
  
  
  RESULTS
  1,734 subjects aged 22.5 +/- 2.9 years (75% women) were included. Anti-HBc total cumulated prevalence during the three year period was 2.5% (CI 95%, 1.9%-3.4%). Anti-HAV total cumulated prevalence during the three year period was 13.9% (CI 95%: 11.4%-16.8%). No statistical significant association between antibody prevalence and both age sex was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low prevalence, and thus, high susceptibility to HBV and HAV infection was found. We stress the importance of systematic vaccination among health sciences students not previously engaged in universal vaccination programmes. We also point out the need for further analysis upon the utility of combined HB/HA vaccine as an alternative to antihepatitis B universal vaccination programmes among adolescent cohorts.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Universidad de Barcelona.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bayas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruguera
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vilella
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Carbó
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Nebot
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prat
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salleras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000193:education*; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
chemical_list: D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
vernacular_title: Prevalencia de infección por virus de la hepatitis B y hepatitis A en estudiantes de profesiones sanitarias en Cataluña.