BackgroundChronic hepatitis is a major public health problem. Hepatitis B virus is the primary cause, and Hepatitis B and C together are responsible for 60% of cirrhosis and 80% of hepatocellular carcinomas. This study measured the prevalence of HBsAg among Senegalese military to develop an appropriate strategy to prevent cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.MethodsWe conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study among Senegalese military aged 25 to 60 years. A sample of 1224 participants was selected following a two-level-stratification. The mark of surface HBs antigen using chemiluminescence concerned 1195 participants. The presence of HBsAg was analyzed according to age, marital status, alcohol consumption and glomerular filtration rate. Epi-info6fr and R software were used, respectively, for data capture and analyses. A Chi-square test was performed to compare proportions considering a significance level of 5% and a confidence interval of 95%.ResultsThe average age was 39.8 ± 9.2 years. Participants in the age groups of 25–34 years, 45–60 years and 35–44 years were respectively 30.7%, 34.4% and 34.9% of the sample. Married persons represented 82.6% of participants and 17.08% were single. Most participants were educated (99%), and 56% had reached at least secondary school level. Alcohol consumption was at 11.5%. The HBsAg prevalence rate was 10.8% [9.1% to 12.7%] with a significant difference between age groups (P < 0.001), which ranged from 5.6% for 45–60 years, 9.62% for 25–34 years to 16.9% for 35–44 years. Marital status and alcohol consumption did not affect the carriage of HBsAg. HBsAg prevalence was more common among participants who had a glomerular filtration rate greater than 90 ml/min. Transaminases rate exceeded the normal threshold for 43 participants (3.6%); the increase was 6.6% [2.7% to 11.8%] for HBsAg carriers and 3.2% [1.2% to 6.7%] for alcohol users.ConclusionsThe high prevalence of HBsAg in the military requires the implementation of an effective prevention and care program to reduce the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and contribute to reducing the burden of communicable diseases, such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, and non-communicable diseases.

Objectives. In spring 2002, a mass immunization campaign using a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23-PPV) was launched in order to control an outbreak of severe pneumonia caused by a virulent clone of serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of this campaign on the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and hospitalizations possibly associated with pneumococcal infections (HPAPI) in the mostly Inuit population aged 10 to 64 years. Study design. Retrospective analysis of surveillance and administrative data. Methods. Multivariate Poisson model comparing the frequency rates of selected outcomes before the outbreak, during the outbreak, and after implementation of the mass immunization program. Results. The reported incidence of serotype 1 IPD decreased markedly after the implementation of the vaccination campaign (rate ratio = 0.16; p < 0.002). The frequency of HPAPI and the mean duration of hospital stay also decreased. However, vaccine failures were documented and the HPAPI rate remained higher than in the period prior to the outbreak. Conclusions. Although 23-PPV contributed to control the outbreak, better vaccines are needed for the prevention of infections caused by serotype 1 S. pneumoniae. (Int J Circumpolar Health 2006; 65(4): 297-304).

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