title: A population based study on hepatitis B virus in northern iran, amol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Viral hepatitis is a major health problem worldwide. Change in transmission patterns of hepatitis B makes it necessary to re-evaluate its prevalence and risk factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine the prevalence of HBV infection and its related risk factors in Amol city, Northern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  As a population based study, a cluster sampling approach was used and 6146 individuals from the general population of urban and rural areas of Amol, Iran, from both genders and different ages were enrolled. Inclusion criteria were willingness to participate in the study, being a lifelong resident in Amol city or its surrounding areas with Iranian nationality. Ten milliliters (10 mL) of blood was taken from each study subject and checked regarding hepatitis B markers including HbsAg, HBsAb and HBcAb using a third generation ELISA. The prevalence of HBV infections and its potential risk factors were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of HBsAg, HBsAb and HBcAb were estimated as 0.9%, 30.7% and 10.5%, respectively. The mean age of all participants was 43.9 (95% CI: 43.4, 44.3) in females and 55.6 in (n = 3472) males. In our study, there was a significant association between family history of hepatitis, rural residency and presence of HBsAg. There was also a positive correlation between HBcAb and family history of hepatitis, history of other types of hepatic diseases, history of tattooing, traditional phlebotomy, male gender and age. In backward logistic regression, a significant association was found between history of hepatitis in first-degree family members (OR = 13.35; 95% CI: 6.26, 28.47) and place of residence (OR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.27, 4.22) with presence of HBsAg. There was also a positive correlation between history of hepatitis among first-degree family members (OR = 2.49; 95% CI: 1.52, 4.08), history of tattooing (OR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.33, 3.42), history of previous hepatitis (OR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.06, 3.28), male sex (OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.66) and age (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.04) with presence of HBcAb.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of hepatitis B in Amol City and its surrounding areas was about one percent, a lower rate than other reports from Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keyvani
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Masoudreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sohrabi
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zamani
authors.affiliation: Liver and Pancreatobiliary Disease Research Center, Digestive Disease Research institute (DDRI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Poustchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kingston University, London, UK.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ashrafi
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saeedian
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mansooreh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mooadi
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Nima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Motamed
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ajdarkosh
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoodreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khonsari
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hemmasi
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ameli
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Publich Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kabir
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khodadost
keywords: Epidemiology; HBsAg; Hepatitis B Virus; Infection; Prevalence