[The prevalence of hepatitis A, B and C viral markers in the population of Gijón between 26 and 65 years old].

The aim of this study was to know the prevalence of hepatitis A, B and C markers in an adult population in Gijón, Spain. A randomized, transversal sample according to the census was made in a population between 26 and 65 years of age in Gijón, analyzing demographic, epidemiologic and clinical variables, liver function tests, anti-HAV IgG, anti-HBcore and anti-HCV. Of the 476 individuals included a census error was detected in 26 (5.5%) and 340 (71.4%) were studied. Of these anti-HAV IgG was positive in 210 (61.8%) with prevalences of 17.9% from 26 to 30 years (CI: 95%, 11.1%-27.4%), 54.7% from 31 to 35 years (CI: 95%, 41.8%-67%), 73.6% from 36 to 40 years (CI: 95%, 59.4%-84.3%) and 93% (CI: 95%, 86.7%-96.5%) above 40 years of age (p < 0.001). No other significant variables were found adjusted by age groups. With regard to HBV, of the 331 unvaccinated cases, 35 (10.6, CI 95%, 7.6%-14.5%) presented immune markers and 4 (1.2% CI: 95%, 0.4%-3.3%) HBsAg positivity, with all having normal ALT and no viral replication. Anti-HCV was positive in 1.7% (CI: 95%, 0.7-3.9%), being significantly related to IVDA or tattoos. Hypertransaminasemias were detected in 18 (5.3%) being attributed to virus C (27.8%), alcoholism (27.8%) or obesity (44.4%). History of clinical manifestations of acute hepatitis was collected in 9.7% of the cases with no memory of the episode in 84.3% of the anti-HAV IgG positive cases, 79.5% of the anti-HBcore positive cases and 83.3% of the anti-HCV positive cases. The current curve of prevalence of anti-HAV IgG in the Gijón population varies in the decade from 30 to 40 years in age ranging from values discarding prevaccination screening under the age of 30 to levels of minimum susceptibility to infection above the age of 40. The low prevalence of anti-HBcore underestimates its use as prevaccination screening versus HBV in the population of Gijón. The prevalences of HBsAg or anti-HCV thereby make this area a zone of intermediate endemicity, with around 3% of the population being chronically infected by one of these viruses.