title: A population-based prevalence study of hepatitis A, B and C virus using oral fluid in Flanders, Belgium.
abstract: Ten years after the first seroprevalence study performed in Flanders, the aim of this cross sectional study was to follow the evolution of hepatitis A, B and C prevalence. The prevalence of hepatitis A antibodies, hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C antibodies was measured in oral fluid samples collected by postal survey. Using the National Population Register, an incremental sampling plan was developed to obtain a representative sampling of the general population. A total of 24,000 persons were selected and 6,000 persons among them contacted in a first wave. With 1834 participants a response rate of 30.6% was achieved. The prevalence was weighted for age and was 20.2% (95% CI 19.43-21.08) for hepatitis A, 0.66% (95% CI 0.51-0.84) for hepatitis B surface antigen and 0.12% (95% CI 0.09-0.39) for hepatitis C. The prevalence of hepatitis A and C in the Flemish population is lower in 2003 compared with the results of the study performed in 1993. The difference may be due to a real decrease of the diseases but also to differences in the methodology. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen remains stable. Considering the 30% response rate and the high quality of the self-collected samples as reflect of a good participation of the general population, saliva test for prevalence study is a good epidemiological monitoring tool.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Epidemiology, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Juliette Wytsmanstreet 14, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Sophie.quoilin@iph.fgov.be
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quoilin
authors.forename: Veronik
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hutse
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vandenberghe
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Claeys
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verhaegen
authors.forename: Liesbet
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Cock
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Loock
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Top
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Damme
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vranckx
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Oyen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies