title: The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis B core antibody in Iran: a population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus infection is a very common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. It is estimated that 3% of Iranians are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus. Current population-based studies on both rural and urban prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in Iran are sparse with results that do not always agree. We performed this study to find the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-hepatitis B core antibody, and associated factors in the general population of three provinces of Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly selected 6,583 subjects from three provinces in Iran, namely Tehran, Golestan, and Hormozgan. The subjects were aged between 18 and 65 years. Serum samples were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis B core antibody. Various risk factors were recorded and multivariate analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis B core antibody in Iran was 2.6% and 16.4%, respectively. Predictors of hepatitis B surface antigen or anti-hepatitis B core antibody in multivariate analysis included older age, not having high-school diploma, living in a rural area, and liver disease in a family member. We did not find any significant differences between males and females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In spite of nationwide vaccination of newborns against hepatitis B virus since 1992, hepatitis B virus infection remains a very common cause of chronic liver disease in Iran which should be dealt with for at least the next 30-50 years.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merat
authors.forename: Houri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rezvan
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nouraie
authors.forename: Arsia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jamali
authors.forename: Shervin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Assari
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abolghasemi
authors.forename: Amir-Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Radmard
authors.forename: Hanieh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zaer-Rezaii
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeid-Abadi-Nejhad
authors.forename: Mohammad-Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.forename: Sedigheh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amini-Kafiabad
authors.forename: Mahtab
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maghsudlu
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pourshams
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens