title: Epidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection in truck drivers in Brazil, South America.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the epidemiology of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and viral genotypes in long distance truck drivers in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  We interviewed 641 long distance truck drivers to gather data on sociodemographics and risk factors and collected blood samples to test for HBV markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc) by ELISA. HBsAg-positive samples were submitted to HBV DNA detection and genotyped.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a global HBV prevalence of 18.9% (95% CI 15.9 to 22.2). Thirty truck drivers (4.7%) had only anti-HBs, suggesting that they had a previous HBV vaccination. More than 20 years in the profession, more than 15 days away from home and a history of sexual transmitted infections were independently and positivity associated with HBV markers. HBV DNA was detected in nine samples in which genotypes A (n = 5), D (n = 2) and F (n = 2) were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings confirm that truck drivers are at high risk for hepatitis B infection and highlight the importance of having a public health policy that addresses this population and is based on the characteristics of HBV acquisition and dissemination.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: R M Bringel
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: da Silva França
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Pessoni
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: M A D
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Brunini
authors.forename: A L N
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Junqueira
authors.forename: M A Dos Santos
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Teles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens