Seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among pregnant women in Jiangsu, China, 17 years after introduction of hepatitis B vaccine.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women in Jiangsu Province, eastern China, 17years after vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) was introduced.

METHODS

From August 2002 to July 2004, serum samples from 6398 women between 15 and 20weeks of pregnancy and from 6 urban and 8 rural areas across Jiangsu Province were tested for markers of HBV. The results were then compared with the rates before 1980.

RESULTS

The overall rates of 6.71% for HBsAg and 36.84% for anti-HBs were significantly lower and higher, respectively, than the prevaccination rates. The rate for HBsAg was lower in urban areas than in rural areas (5.75% vs 7.14%, P=0.04). Although the rate used to be much higher in the northern part of Jiangsu Province, which is less prosperous than the southern part, the rates are now similar in both parts (6.60% vs 6.97%).

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate a drop in the prevalence of HBsAg among pregnant women in Jiangsu Province since the introduction of vaccination programs in 1980, and indicate that HBV infection can also be controlled in less prosperous areas.