title: [Seroprevalence of viral hepatitis in a representative general population of an urban public health area in Castilla y León (Spain)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Viral hepatitis is a major social, health and economic problem worldwide, requiring strict epidemiological control.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study presents the viral hepatitis seroprevalence in a representative sample from an urban health care area in Valladolid (Spain).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibody prevalence was as follows: anti-HAV 52%; anti-HBc, 8.2%; anti-HCV, 1.1%; anti-HEV, 0.8%; and anti-HGV 5.8%. Prevalence of anti-HAV, anti-HBc and anti-HGV increased significantly with age (P < 0.005 in all cases). In individuals younger than 20, prevalence of anti-HAV was 3.8%, anti-HBc < 0.28% and anti-HGV 1.3%. In the 20-39 year-old group, seroprevalence against HAV was associated with low educational levels (P = 0.009) and with birth in other provinces (P = 0.016). Anti-HBc seroprevalence was mainly associated with three factors: prior hospitalization before 1990 (P = 0.002; OR 3.32 [1.48-7.42]); compulsory military service before 1990 (P < 0.0001; OR 37.33 [3.68-378.03]); and acupuncture treatments (P = 0.018; OR 57.75 [26.17-127.42]). Seroprevalence against HGV was associated with hospitalizations before 1990 (P = 0.019; OR = 2.969 [1.154-7.639]). Seropositive status to HCV revealed a transfusion history (2 cases), hospitalization (1 case) or drug addiction (1 case). Only one case among those seropositive to HEV had a history of a prior trip to a HEV-endemic area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that the seroprevalences of viral hepatitis in a representative sample of urban population of Castille and Leon are similar to the seroprevalences observed in the rest of Spain and other developed countries, lower than the ones observed in the studies performed in Spain in the last 20 years due to the measures of prophylaxis that were taken.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Arturo Eyries, Valladolid, España.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: López-Izquierdo
authors.forename: M Antonia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Udaondo
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zarzosa
authors.forename: Elpidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: García-Ramón
authors.forename: Sonsoles
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garcinuño
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bratos
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orduña
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Torres
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almaraz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population