title: Hepatitis B marker seroprevalence and vaccination coverage in adolescents in the City of Itajaí, State of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil, in 2008.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B infection constitutes an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Brazil, however, the current epidemiological situation is not clear. Considering the importance of establishing this prevalence, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV markers in voluntary adolescents, junior high (secondary school) students, in the City of Itajaí, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  A seroepidemiological, transverse study was conducted with 353 randomly chosen adolescents from elementary school in 2008. Blood samples were analyzed for HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs. All analyses were conducted by automated microparticle enzyme immunosorbent assay (Abbott®, AxSYM system, Deerfield, IL, USA), according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of HBsAg was 0.6% (CI 95% 0.1 - 2.0), that of anti-HBc was 1.1% (CI 95% 0.3 - 2.9) and that of detectable anti-HBs was 83.6% (CI 95% 79.3 - 87.3). Hepatitis B vaccination coverage was 97.5% (CI 95% 95.2 - 98.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate the success of the vaccination program against hepatitis B in the region studied and indicate that prevention strategies must be maintained and, if possible, expanded to contribute to the establishment of positive prevalence rates in all age groups.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Chiochetta
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Tonial
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Passos
authors.forename: Andréa do
authors.initials: Ad
authors.lastname: Livramento
authors.forename: Natália Gazzoni
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Scaraveli
authors.forename: Anna Paula de Borba
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Batschauer
authors.forename: Ednéia Casagrande
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Largura
authors.forename: Celso
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.forename: Aricio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Treitinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines