title: Results from nationwide hepatitis B serosurvey in Cambodia using simple and rapid laboratory test: implications for National Immunization Program.
abstract: Chronic liver infection and cancer in the western Pacific region is disproportionate to the population globally. This study provides the first nationwide estimates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence in Cambodia among children five year of age. Using a simple and rapid test for HBsAg and multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design, we estimated HBsAg seroprevalence to be 3.5% (95% confidence interval = 2.4-4.8%) among five-year old children. Triangulating the results with other studies, we demonstrate the importance of interrupting perinatal transmission and one-time catch-up vaccination of older children born before nationwide introduction of vaccination for effective hepatitis B control in Cambodia and for reaching the disease control goal of less than 2% chronic infection rates among children > or = 5 years of age. The results demonstrate the feasibility of conducting nationwide serosurveys using simple and rapid tests to evaluate the impact of hepatitis B vaccination programs in lieu of standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. sann_chansoeung@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sann Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Soeung
authors.forename: Manju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rani
authors.forename: Vu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Huong
authors.forename: Savay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarath
authors.forename: Chea
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kimly
authors.forename: Toda
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kohei
mesh_terms: D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007118:Immunoassay; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines