Sexual Activity and Hepatitis B and C Virus Infection Among Young Adults After Introduction of a Vaccination Program in an Area of High Endemicity |
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Authors: | Min Kyung Lim Silvia Franceschi Salvatore Vaccarella Young-Hee Ju Jin-Kyoung Oh Hyun-Joo Kong Dong-Il Kim Byoung-Gwon Kim Jung-Il Kim Kap-Yeol Jung Dong-Soon Lee Hai-Rim Shin |
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Institution: | 1.National Cancer Control Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea;2.International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon cedex 08, France;3.Samsung Medical Center, Sungkunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea;4.College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Republic of Korea;5.College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea |
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Abstract: | BackgroundIn areas where hepatitis is endemic, little is known about the sexual transmission of HBV after introduction of an HBV vaccination program.MethodsWe used a self-administered questionnaire and serological tests for HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc, and anti-HCV to examine the role of sexual activity, as well as sociodemographic status, lifestyle habits, and a history of vaccinations, transfusions, and surgery, in the transmission of HBV and HCV in Korea. The subjects were 865 female and 541 male university students (median age, 19 years; age range, 16–25).ResultsOverall seropositivity was 8.1% for HBsAg, 69.3% for anti-HBs, 21.3% for anti-HBc, and 0.4% for anti-HCV. Regarding HBV, 8% of the subjects were chronic carriers or had recently been infected, 22.8% were never exposed and nonvaccinated, 16.6% were exposed noncarriers, and 52.7% had most likely been vaccinated. We found a significant association between HBsAg seropositivity and history of sexual intercourse (Odds Ratio, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1–2.8). Students without serologic evidence of immunization against HBV were more likely to have become HBsAg-positive after becoming sexually active.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that sexual transmission does occur among adolescents and young adults who have not been vaccinated, whereas vaccination protects individuals from becoming an HBV carrier after becoming sexually active.Key words: hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, sexual transmission, vaccination, endemic area |
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