title: Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in the United States: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1976 through 1994.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Data from 2 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), NHANES II (1976-1980) and NHANES III (1988-1994), were analyzed to examine trends in the prevalence of hepatitis B infection in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum specimens were tested for markers of hepatitis B virus infection, and risk factors were determined from questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall age-adjusted prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was 5.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.8, 6.2) in NHANES II, as compared with 4.9% (95% CI = 4.3, 5.6) in NHANES III. In both surveys, Black participants had the highest prevalence of infection (NHANES II, 15.8%; NHANES III, 11.9%). No differences in infection were found in the major racial groups between surveys, except for a decrease among those older than 50 years. Black race, increasing number of lifetime sexual partners, and foreign birth had the strongest independent associations with hepatitis B virus infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testing of participants in 2 national surveys demonstrates no significant decrease in hepatitis B virus infection, despite the availability of hepatitis B vaccine.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Md. 20782, USA. gmm2@cdc.gov
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: McQuillan
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kruszon-Moran
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moyer
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Margolis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D044469:Racial Groups; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology