Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in the United States: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1976 through 1994

Data from 2 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), NHANES II (1976-1980) and NHANES III (1988-1994), were analyzed to examine trends in the prevalence of hepatitis B infection in the United States. Serum specimens were tested for markers of hepatitis B virus infection, and risk...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of public health (1971) 1999-01, Vol.89 (1), p.14-18
Main Authors: McQuillan, G M, Coleman, P J, Kruszon-Moran, D, Moyer, L A, Lambert, S B, Margolis, H S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
1976-1994
Adolescent
Adult
African Americans
Age
Age Distribution
Aged
Antibodies
Antigens
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers - blood
Child
Child, Preschool
Confidence intervals
Continental Population Groups
Epidemiology
Female
Hepatitis
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus
Hepatitis B, Chronic - epidemiology
Hepatitis B, Chronic - etiology
Hepatitis B, Chronic - immunology
Hispanic Americans
Hispanic people
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infant
Infection
Infections
Infectious diseases
Laboratories
Male
Medical research
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Nutrition
Nutrition Surveys
Pacific Islander people
Polls & surveys
Population
Population Surveillance
Prevalence
Public health
Race
Regression analysis
Residence Characteristics
Response rates
Risk Factors
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Sexual Partners
Surveys and Questionnaires
Trends
United States - epidemiology
USA
Viral diseases
Viral hepatitis
White people
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Summary:Data from 2 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), NHANES II (1976-1980) and NHANES III (1988-1994), were analyzed to examine trends in the prevalence of hepatitis B infection in the United States. Serum specimens were tested for markers of hepatitis B virus infection, and risk factors were determined from questionnaires. The overall age-adjusted prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was 5.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.8, 6.2) in NHANES II, as compared with 4.9% (95% CI = 4.3, 5.6) in NHANES III. In both surveys, Black participants had the highest prevalence of infection (NHANES II, 15.8%; NHANES III, 11.9%). No differences in infection were found in the major racial groups between surveys, except for a decrease among those older than 50 years. Black race, increasing number of lifetime sexual partners, and foreign birth had the strongest independent associations with hepatitis B virus infection. Testing of participants in 2 national surveys demonstrates no significant decrease in hepatitis B virus infection, despite the availability of hepatitis B vaccine.
ISSN:0090-0036
1541-0048
DOI:10.2105/AJPH.89.1.14