title: Epidemiology of hepatitis B among professional male athletes in Qatar.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the Hepatitis B status of sportsmen competing in Qatar and to evaluate the risk of transmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study design, serological analysis was carried out on 780 sportsmen who attended the Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha Qatar, between March 2008 and February 2009 for a pre-participation screening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hepatitis B infection prevalence of 2.2% and a lack of immunity in 53.3%. Highest rates of infection were observed in non-Qatari nationals, particularly those of African origin. There was no clear trend with age and immunity level, but cycling was found to have significantly higher rates of Hepatitis B infection. There was no difference in infection rates between contact and non-contact sports.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk of Hepatitis B transmission in football was assessed at one transmission in 12.5 million football matches, but the high rate of non-immunity suggests that sportsmen competing in Qatar are at elevated risk of Hepatitis B infection should they be exposed. This imbalance of infection and immunity rates requires further investigation and urgent redress.
authors.affiliation: Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, PO Box 29222, Doha, Qatar. bruce.hamilton@aspetar.com
authors.forename: Bruce H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Justin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Paoloni
authors.forename: Hakim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chalabi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011780:Qatar / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult