SEROEPIDEMIOLOGY OF HEPATITIS-B, DELTA AND HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTIONS IN HAMADAN PROVINCE, IRAN - A POPULATION-BASED STUDY

The epidemiologic features of HBV, HDV and HIV in the general populati on of Hamadan province of Iran were studied. A total of 4930 subjects (1649 males and 3281 females) constituted the study population. Seropo sitivity for any HBV marker was found in 25.72 % of the subjects. Of t hese, 2.49 % were carriers of HBsAg, 18.09% were positive for anti-HBs and 5.13 % for anti-HBc alone. HBeAg, anti-HBC IgM, and anti-HDV were present in 13.8, 6.5 and 2.4% of HBSAg carriers, respectively. Antibo dy to HIV was detected in none of the 4930 sera tested. Prevalence of HBV infection was lowest in children and young adults < 19 years and h ighest in adults > 60 years. No significant difference was observed be tween the rates in males and females. Family size and prevalence of HB V infection were unrelated but an inverse relation was found between H BV infection and education. Unmarried men and women showed the lowest (18.26%) and widows and divorcees the highest (51.59 %) rate of HBV in fection. Our results suggest that horizontal transmission is likely to be the primary mode of acquisition of HBV infection in children and y oung adults. Also infection is partly transmitted before or soon after birth to babies of HBsAg-carrier mothers. Socioeconomic and demograph ic variables have a greater impact on the prevalence of HBV infection than blood or medical care variables in our population.