The Frequency Of Hepatitis B Markers In The Patients Referring To Gaziantep Children's Hospital Outpatient Clinics

Abstract

Our country is in a mid-endemic area for Hepatitis B infection, however, the dynamics of Hepatitis B infection vary in every part of our country. The aim of this study was to examine seroprevalence of HBsAg and frequency of antiHBs positivity in children referring to Gaziantep Children's Hospital and to examine Hepatitis B vaccination status in anti HBs positive children. In 529 patients referring to the outpatient pediatrics clinic of this hospital and for whom acute hospitalization was not needed and a history of chronic diseases was not present, HBsAg and antiHBs antibodies were screened. We questioned the vaccination status for Hepatitis B infection in anti-HBs positive children. Of 529 patients, 289 were male and 240 were female, and the mean age was 8.2 ± 2.8 years. HBsAg were positive in 6 (1.1%) patients. In 218 (41.7%) patients, anti-HBs antibodies were positive out of 523 HbsAg negative patients. 147 (67.4%) of 218 anti-HbsAg positive patients had a history of Hepatitis B vaccination; the remaining 71 (32.6%) patients had never been vaccinated. In the pediatrics population, in a study performed by Turkish National Research Group, in the age group of children from 6 to 10 years old, HBsAg antibodies were positive in 6.2% and anti-HbsAg antibodies were positive in 12.1%. In our study, although we have found a lower seroprevalence in the pediatrics age group in this area, especially in school-aged children, larger studies are needed to determine Hepatitis B immunity status and vaccination policies.