title: Hepatitis B and C virus markers among new entrant medical students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence of hepatitis B and C virus markers in new entrant medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya.
  
  
  METHODS
  456 students (mean age 24 years, SD 3.5, 257 men) were investigated before they were exposed to clinical work, using a questionnaire to assess sociodemographic factors and possible risk factors for contracting hepatitis B or C. Blood samples were tested for HBs Ag and anti HBs (n = 456), and anti-HCV (n = 162 randomly selected samples) with a third generation sandwich radioimmunoassay technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The students were from 20 of the 25 districts in the country, although their distribution was not inform. A past history of hepatitis or jaundice was obtained from 24 (5.3%) and 6 (1.3%) students respectively. None of them had been vaccinated against hepatitis B. At least one risk factor for hepatitis B or C was present in 32 (7%) of them. None of the samples were positive for HBsAg or anti-HCV, and only two (0.44%) were positive for anti-HBs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support the view that exposure to hepatitis B and C seems to be uncommon in this country, at least up to young adulthood. As most new entrant medical students are not immune to these infections there is a strong case to vaccinate them against hepatitis B before they are exposed to clinical work.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Premawardhena
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Premaratne
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jayaweera
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Chandrasena
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: de Silva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013337:Students, Medical
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens