Exposure time to hepatitis B virus and associated risk factors among children in Edirne, Turkey

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is endemic in Turkey, but the main routes of transmission were not well established. This study aims to detect the exposure time to HBV and associated risk factors among children. In a sampling group of children aged 0-19 years living in Edirne, antiHBc, antiHBs and HBsAg were screened by the microELISA method. A questionnaire was also completed for each child. In 717 children that were included in the study, the total antiHBc seropositivity was 5.4% and was 1.8, 0.8, 1.7, 6.8, 11.8% in 0-1, 2-5, 6-10, 11-14, 15-19 years age groups respectively. The overall HBsAg seropositivity was 1.7%. The risk of HBV infection increased after the age of 10 years (OR 7.79, 95% CI 3.01-20.16). Collective circumcision was the only independent factor according to regression analysis. Children living in Edirne should be vaccinated against HBV before reaching 11 years of age