Home > Prevalence of hepatitis B anti-core antibody in the Republic of Ireland.

O'Connell, T and Thornton, Lelia and O'Flanagan, D and Staines, A and Connell, J and Dooley, S and McCormack, G (2000) Prevalence of hepatitis B anti-core antibody in the Republic of Ireland. Epidemiology and Infection, 125, (3), pp. 701-704. 10.1017/S095026880000491X.

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The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B exposure in the population of the Republic of Ireland, by measuring the prevalence of hepatitis B anti-core antibody in oral fluid collected by postal survey. A random multi-stage stratified sample of Irish households was obtained, using the Irish electoral register as the sampling frame. A total of 962 households were selected, and a household response rate of 60.4% was achieved. Oral fluid specimens totalling 1714 were tested for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), using an Immune Capture Enzyme Immuno-Assay. Five specimens (0.29%) were found to contain anti-HBc. Adjusting for study design, the estimated anti-HBc prevalence in the Republic of Ireland is 0.51%. This study demonstrates that self-collection of oral fluid samples is acceptable to the public, and based upon the data generated, that the Republic of Ireland has a low prevalence of hepatitis B infection.


Item Type
Article
Publication Type
Irish-related, Open Access, Article
Date
December 2000
Page Range
pp. 701-704
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Volume
125
Number
3
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