[Seroprevalence study of hepatitis B among orienteers].
OBJECTIVE
Our objectives were to detect asymptomatic cases involved in an outbreak of hepatitis B, to assess the seroprevalence of hepatitis B (HB) in orienteers and to establish recommendations.


METHODS
One hundred sixteen orienteers who had competed in the categories involved in the previous outbreak as well as a stratified random sample of 166 of the remaining orienteers in other competition categories were included in a cross-sectional serological prevalence study. HB surface antigen (anti-HBs); total antibody to HB core antigen (total anti-HBc); HB surface antigen (Ag HBs); and antibody IgM to HB core antigen (anti-HBcIgM) along with the history of vaccination for hepatitis B were analyzed. The results were weighted.


RESULTS
The seroprevalence of HB (total anti-HBc positive) was 6.7% (n=12, 95% CI 0.6-12.9). No case of acute HB or chronic infection was observed. All the serological markers were negative for 61.1% (n=64, 95% CI 46.3-75.6), and 31.5% (n=29, 95% CI 18.2-46.4) had markers of immunity due to vaccination. Among individuals under 25 years of age, 28.4% were unvaccinated, although they were covered by vaccination programs.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the seroprevalence of HB among orienteers is not different from the general population in Spain. However, it is necessary to reinforce the vaccination among adolescents and young adults. General recommendations for the prevention of HB were made to orienteering federations.
Hernando
Victoria
V
Programa de Epidemiología Aplicada de Campo, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España. vhernando@isciii.es
Soler
Pilar
P
Pedro
Ramón
R
García
Luis
L
Castilla
Jesús
J
García
Miguel Angel
MA
Quiñones
Carmen
C
García
Visitación
V
Gallardo
Virtudes
V
Echevarria
Jose Manuel
JM
Jardi
Rosendo
R
Bleda
María José
MJ
De Mateo
Salvador
S
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013177:Sports; D055815:Young Adult
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens