title: Hepatitis B seroprevalence in children and women and the impact of the hepatitis B vaccination program in the Black Sea Region of Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in children and females in the middle Black Sea Region of Turkey and to assess the impact of the universal infant hepatitis B vaccination program started in 1998.
  
  
  METHODS
  The laboratory records of 12,057 patients who attended the Samsun Maternity and Children's Hospital between January 2007 and November 2009 were evaluated retrospectively. In this period, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), was studied from serum samples using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the total population, HBsAg seropositivity was found to be 3.8% (456/12010); anti-HBs was 32.6% (3526/10800). HBsAg was 3.5%, in the 0-14 year age group, 8.2% in the 15-18 group, 3.3% in the 19-49 group, and 8.0% in the over 49 group. The seropositivity of HBsAg decreased by half in patients between zero and 14 years of age (4.2%) who were included in the universal vaccination program when compared with those in the 15-18 year group (8.2%) who were not included in the program. There was a significant difference in HBsAg seropositivity between boys (5.8%) and girls (3.9%) (p <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the hepatitis B seroprevalence records of our region, HBsAg was 3.5% in the 0-14 year age group, 8.2% in the 15-18 year group. It may therefore be suggested that, since 1998, the vaccination program in our region has been successful.
authors: Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul. gunerkaratekin@yahoo.com.
authors: Guner
authors: G
authors: Karatekin
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Kilinç
authors: Banu
authors: B
authors: Gulcan Öksuz
authors: Mahir
authors: M
authors: Iğde
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines