Seroepidemiological prevalence of hepatitis B virus markers in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Objective: To follw the change in HBsAg prevalence in the Eastern Saudi Arabia 12 years after our study in 1985. To record the HBV profile pattern, to study the seroconversion after the HBV vaccination, and to discuss the possibility of including anti-HBc (IgG) in the blood donors screening tests. Methods: Cross sectional survey of HBsAg using the 2nd, 3rd generation, EIA technique or both, checking the HBV patterns among the HBsAg positive subjects, and study the vaccination of the HBsAg negative subjects. The study was carried out in the Virology Diagnostic Lab of the Dammam Regional Laboratories and Blood Bank, Dammam, Saudi Arabia during March 1985-February 1997. Two hundred and twenty eight thousand one hundred and eight serum samples were collected from different nationalities residing in the Eastern Saudi Arabia including blood bank donors, healthy pregnant women, children (less than 2 - less than 15), drug addicts, clinically diagnoned hepatitis patients, and controls. Results: The overall HBsAg prevalence was 6.62%., while for blood bank donors, pregnant women, children, drug addicted and cases of hepatitis showed 6.75%, 6.06%, 4.83%, 13.84% and 10.81% respectively. While the rates according to the country or origin were; 6.7%, 6.45%, 7.64%, and 7.83% for Saudis, Middle Eastern, South East Asia, and Indian respectively. However, the HVB markers among HBsAg positives were: 5.54%, 15.96%, 13.83%, 26.44%, and 38.23% for HBsAg only, HBsAg + HBeAg, HBsAg + HBeAg + anti=HBc(IgM), HBsAg + anti-HBe + anti-HBcIgM + anti-HBcIgG, and HBsAg + anti-HBcIgG respectively. The seroconversion for the HBsAg negative vaccinees was 96.56%. Conclusion: Prevalence of HBsAg showed dramatic fall since our study in 1985. It had been reduced from 11.9% to 6.7%, while more reduction among children as it dropped from 8.33% in 1985 to 4.83% in 1997. This change may be attributed to the vaccination programs, improvement in the hygienic, social, and educational conditional.