title: The prevalence of hepatitis B in Sweden; a statistical serosurvey of 3381 Swedish inhabitants.
abstract: The prevalence of hepatitis B virus markers in the adult Swedish population was investigated according to age, sex, origin and demographic stratum. Sera were collected from 3382 persons in 1990-1. The sera were selected on a statistical basis considered to be representative of the Swedish population from adults aged > or = 18 years. Two of the sera (0.06%) were found to be hepatitis B surface antigen positive. The two hepatitis B carriers were of non-Scandinavian origin as were (8.9%) of those tested. A total of 90 persons had a marker of previous, hepatitis B virus infection, i.e. antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen. Of these, 66 (2.0%) were of Scandinavian origin and 24 (18.1%) from highly endemic areas. The overall hepatitis B virus marker prevalence was 2.7%. The highest age-specific prevalence of hepatitis B markers in those of Scandinavian origin was in those born in 1939 and earlier. In this age-group, women had a significantly higher prevalence (3.6%) than males (1.9%). The lowest prevalence was found in those born in 1970 and later. No significant, age-related differences between younger or older persons, or between men and women, could be found in persons of non-Scandinavian origin. The results showed significant differences in exposure to hepatitis B virus among the indigenous population, compared with those of non-Scandinavian extraction. The results do not support the proposal to include hepatitis B vaccination in the Swedish immunization schedule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Stockholm County Council, Karolinska Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Christenson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Böttiger
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grillner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens