Prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection in Iran: a review article

• Main Authors: Jalal Poorolajal, Reza Majdzadeh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2009-08-01
• Series: Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
• Subjects: Hepatitis B, Prevalence, Blood Donors, Thalassemia, Drug Users, Iran.
• Online Access: http://journals.mui.ac.ir/jrms/article/view/2714

<font face="TimesNewRoman" size="2"><font face="TimesNewRoman" size="2"><ul><li><div align="left">Hepatitis B virus infection is a major public health problem worldwide. Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in which hepatitisB prevalence is intermediate. The aim of this study is to assess prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection in Iran according to demographic characteristics. All cross-sectional studies concerning  revalence of chronic hepatitis B infection in Iran were included irrespective of date and language. The outcome of interest was prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection confirmed by blood specimen positive for HBsAg. The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection was  stimated about 1.7% or lower in general population; 0.8% (95% CI: 0.6% to 0.9%) in blood donors and 3.2% (95% CI: 2.3% to 4.1%) in intravenous drug users and varied from zero to 1.5% in beta thalassemic patients. Since mass vaccination in 1993, prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection has being reduced among children and adolescents. This reduction can be attributed to the effectiveness of the national immunization program and it may impact on reduction of prevalence of hepatitis B infection in general population.</div></li><font face="TimesNewRoman,Bold" size="1"><font face="TimesNewRoman,Bold" size="1"><li><div align="left"><strong>KEY WORDS:</strong> <font face="BookAntiqua" size="2"><font face="BookAntiqua" size="2">Hepatitis B, Prevalence, Blood Donors, Thalassemia, Drug Users, Iran</font></font><font face="TimesNewRoman" size="2"><font face="TimesNewRoman" size="2"><strong>.</strong></font></font></div></li></font></font></ul></font></font>