Korean J Intern Med.  2001 Sep;16(3):153-159.

Seroepidemiology of HBV infection in South Korea, 1995 through 1999

• Jang MK
• Lee JY
• Lee JH
• Kim YB
• Kim HY
• Lee MS
• Park CK
• Yoo JY

Abstract

BACKGROUND
We analyzed serologic data that were obtained from the Korea Association of Health from 1995 to 1999 to estimate the reliable prevalence of HBV in South Korea. METHODS: 603,375, 639,465, 621,476, 612,705 and 650,398 serum samples were annually tested for HBsAg. Of HBsAg positive persons whose serum samples were available, HBeAg positivity was checked. RESULTS: HBsAg positivities among subjects between 6 and 19 years old were 8.2%, 3.9%, 2.1%, 2.6% and 1.3%. HBsAg positivities among subjects above 20 years old were 8.9%, 6.4%, 5.9%, 5.4% and 5.4%. The positive rates of HBeAg were 39.8 to 62.9% among subjects between 6 and 19 years old, and 18.3 to 37.9% among persons above 20 years old, in each year. In both subgroups, HBsAg positivity in the latter year was significantly lower than that in the former year (p <0.001). It also showed that HBsAg positivities among subjects between 6 and 19 years old have been significantly lower than those among subjects above 20 years old, but those of HBeAg the exact reverse of HBsAg since 1996 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that prevalence of HBV infection in the late 1990s, especially in the group between 6 and 19 years old, was conspicuously lower than that in the past. The nationwide vaccination programme might be one of the most important contributors to this tendency in Korea.

Keyword

epidemiology; hepatitis B virus; Korea; vaccination

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age Distribution
Aged
Child
Female
Health Surveys
Hepatitis B/blood/*diagnosis/*epidemiology
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/*analysis
Hepatitis B Virus/*isolation & purification
Hepatitis B, Chronic/blood/diagnosis/epidemiology
Human
Korea/epidemiology
Male
Middle Age
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Serologic Tests/methods
Sex Distribution