Seroepidemiology studies on population immune background to viral hepatitis B

MATERIAL AND METHOD: The studies have been carried out in 855 males and females aged over 20 years belonging to the general population and health care profession included in the European Sero-Epidemiology Network (ESEN) Programme aimed at assessing the population immune background against hepatitis B virus. The serological markers, represented by HBsAg, antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBsAg) and HBcAg (anti-HBcAg) were investigated by the methods widely used in seroepidemiology studies. The patients were divided into 4 subgroups. RESULTS: In the blood serum of a subgroup of 220 individuals, HBsAg was found in 33.2%, anti-HBs in 41.3%, and anti-HBc in 25.4%. In another subgroup of 219 individuals, significantly increased levels of the anti-HBs were recorded in 50.2%. In the subgroup of 168 individuals, IgG anti-HBc were present in 84.6% of those aged over 40 years who had acute HBV infection. In the subgroup of 248 healthcare professionals the prevalence of anti-HBs carriers was 50-80%, result of vaccine-prevention.