Seroepidemiological survey of hepatitis B in Dongcheng district, Beijing

Objective To determine the infection prevalence and immunization coverage of viral hepatitis B among the population aged from 1 to 59 in Dongcheng district, Beijing, and to identify the risk factors of the infection in this region, providing the basis for development of control strategies. Methods A multi-stage sampling method was used to carry out serological surveys for 593 resident subjects aged from 1 to 59 in Dongcheng district. Results For the surveyed population, the standardized seroprevalence of HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs was 4.57%,26.03% and 44.88%, respectively; the immunization coverage rate was 57.84%. For those aged 14 years or below, the seroprevalence of HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs was 1.05%, 2.46% and 62.23%, respectively, with an immunization coverage rate of 97.54%. The three major risk factors for HBsAg positivity were the presence of a HBV-carrying family member, history of receiving HBV vaccines and frequent visits for pedicure bath. Conclusion After the implementation of the expanded program on immunization of HBV, the virus-carrying population in Dongcheng district reduced noticeably.