UNSPECIFIED. (2003) Seroepidemiology of hepatitis B virus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: transmission patterns and vaccine control. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION, 131 (1). pp. 757-770. ISSN 0950-2688

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Abstract

A community-based seroepidemiological survey of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was conducted in 1994 to inform on the transmission dynamics and control of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Venous blood from 4736 individuals under 50 years of age from 1262 households, selected using stratified cluster-sampling, was screened for HBV markers using commercial ELISAs. HBsAg prevalence was 7% (95% CI 6-8). higher in males (9%; 7-10) than females (5%; 4-6). HBeAg prevalence in HBsAg positives was 23% (18-29), and less than 1% of women of childbearing age were HBeAg positive. Overall HBV seroprevalence (any marker), rose steadily with age to over 70% in 40-49 year olds, indicating significant childhood and adult transmission. Estimated instantaneous incidence was 3-4/100 susceptibles/year, higher in males than females in 0-4 year olds, and peaking in early childhood and young adults. The age at which 50% had evidence of infection was around 20 years, and the herd immunity threshold is approximated at 63-77%. Addis Ababa is of intermediate-high HBV endemicity, with negligible perinatal transmission. Our main findings are the identification of a significant difference between males and females in the age-acquisition of HBV infection, and marked differences between age groups in HBV incidence rates. These results should target future research studies of underlying risk factors. Furthermore, we generate a crude estimate of the level of coverage of HBV vaccine that would be required to eliminate the virus from the study population.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR355 Virology
Journal or Publication Title:	EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
Publisher:	CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
ISSN:	0950-2688
Official Date:	August 2003
Volume:	131
Number:	1
Number of Pages:	14
Page Range:	pp. 757-770
Identification Number:	10.1017/S0950268803008574
Publication Status:	Published
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/9381

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

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