Prevalence and Determinants of Hepatitis B Antigenemia in 15007 Inmates in Taiwan
Resource
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY v.20 n.3 pp.231-236
Journal
Journal of Epidemiology
Pages
231-236
Date Issued
2010
Date
2010
Author(s)
LIN, CHING-FENG
TWU, SHIING-JER
CHEN, PING-HO
CHENG, JOSEPH JROR-SERK
WANG, JUNG-DER
Abstract
The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for horizontal transmission of hepatitis B infection due to intravenous drug abuse (IVDA), tattooing, blood transfusion, and combinations of these risk factors. Methods: All people detained in 19 prisons were invited to participate. Subjects underwent a physical examination and completed a questionnaire. Blood samples were collected and screened for hepatitis B surface antigen and Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) reactivity . Results: A total of 16 204 prisoners were invited to participate. The response rate was 92.6% and the mean age was 29.73 years. The overall prevalence of HBsAg positivity was 21.7%. Among 3333 subjects with a history of blood transfusion, the carrier rate was 23.19%. Among the 3071 subjects with a history of IVDA and the 6908 subjects with tattoos, the carrier rate was 26.4% and 29.3%, respectively. IVDA appeared to be the strongest risk factor among the 3, with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 1. 54 (95% confidence interval, 1.27-1.86), followed by tattooing (1.40. 1.23 -1.55 ), and blood transfusion (1.27, 1.05-1.61). When blood transfusion was combined with either of the other 2 risk factors, the risk increased multiplicatively, and the combination of the 3 factors increased the AOR to 2.76 (2.20 -3.47). The prevalence of a positive VDRL test result was 1. 01%. Conclusions: The prevalence of HBV antigenemia in prisoners was high and was associated with BT, IVDA, and tattooing. A national vaccination program against HBV should be considered for prisoners and other people with these risk factors.
Subjects
intravenous drug abuse
prisoners
blood transfusion
tattoo
VDRL
SDGs
Other Subjects
hepatitis B surface antigen; adolescent; adult; article; blood; blood transfusion; child; disease transmission; epidemiology; female; hepatitis B; heterozygote; human; immunology; male; middle aged; prevalence; prisoner; questionnaire; risk; risk factor; serology; statistics; substance abuse; Taiwan; tattooing; Adolescent; Adult; Blood Transfusion; Carrier State; Child; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Female; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; Prevalence; Prisoners; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serologic Tests; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Taiwan; Tattooing; Young Adult
Type
journal article