Trends in the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in the South Korean population.
BACKGROUND
Trends in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are important in evaluating the effectiveness of the recommended routine vaccination of infants and adolescents.


METHODS
The prevalence of HBV infection was determined in a representative sample of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 1998 (n=9771) and 2009 (n=8304). Participants aged ≥10 years were tested for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).


RESULTS
The overall age-adjusted HBsAg seroprevalence was 4.6% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.2-5.0%) in 1998 and 3.2% (95% CI 2.9-3.6%) in 2009, which represents a relative decrease of 30.4% between the two survey populations (p<0.05). The prevalence of HBsAg decreased among persons 10-19 years of age (from 2.2% to 0.3%), 20-29 years of age (from 5.4% to 2.5%), 30-39 years of age (from 6.1% to 4.3%), 40-49 years of age (from 5.1% to 4.7%), and 50-59 years of age (from 5.3% to 3.7%). HBsAg seroprevalence did not decrease among persons ≥60 years of age (2.7% vs. 2.9%).


CONCLUSIONS
These data show a decline in HBsAg seroprevalence, primarily due to the dramatic decrease in adolescents and younger adults.
Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Haeundae Paik-Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 1435, Jwa-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan, 612-030, Republic of Korea.
Seung Ha
SH
Park
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines