Epidemiology of hepatitis B in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus, a common cause of viral hepatitis, consumes a large portion of health resources in developing countries. Data obtained from the Survey of Health and Disease in the Islamic Republic of Iran were analysed with respect to hepatitis B-carrier epidemiology. Since the precise mode of transmission of hepatitis B is not well known, the study was designed to evaluate its transmission as a community-acquired disease. HBsAg tests were performed on the sera of 39 841 persons and the impact of several factors on the prevalence rate of HBV carriers was determined. The rate of hepatitis B carriers varied between zero and 3.9% with an average of 1.7%. Older males living in a village with low socioeconomic status, poor sanitation and intrafamily contact are the most important contributors to the rise of hepatitis B infection in the country

The effectiveness of the national hepatitis B vaccination program 25 years after its introduction in Iran: a historical cohort study

“…In 1996, in another national study by Zali et al, the rate of HBV carriers ranged between zero and 3.9% with an average of 1.7%. 24 Older males living in rural areas with poor sanitation, low socioeconomic status, and family close contact were the main risk factors for hepatitis B infection in Iran at the time the study was conducted. Based on the results of our study, among unvaccinated individuals, HBV infection was associated with history of a family member with hepatitis B infection, but no such association was seen in the vaccinated group.…”

Study on seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus on blood donors at State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, Ogun State

“…A higher prevalence of 9.5 % was found among male blood donors at State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta compare to their female counterparts 1.5 % (Table 2). The age at exposure to infection was considered as being an important determinant of the incidence of Hepatitis B Virus in one of the studies [12].…”