The Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Markers among Students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Protection against hepatitis B virus (HBV) is based on the presence of antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Vaccination of newborns is the most effective means of prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of anti‑HBs antibody (anti‑HBsAb), anti‑HB core Ab (anti‑HBcAb), HBsAg, and HBV DNA among university students in Fars province, Southern Iran.

In this cross‑sectional study, 272 students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, were enrolled. Venous blood (5 mL) was collected from each participant and centrifuged; the sera were stored at −20°C until use. Anti‑HBsAb, Anti‑HBcAb, and HBsAg were measured using a commercial enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay kit. HBV DNA load was also measured by a real‑time polymerase chain reaction.

The mean age of the participants was 19 ± 1 years. There were 171 (62.9%) females and 101 (37.1%) males. Anti‑HBsAb at a protective level (>10 mIU/mL) were detected in the sera of 104 (38.5%) of the cases. Of the anti‑HBsAb seropositive participants, 82 were female and 22 were male; the difference between the gender and seropositivity to anti‑HBsAb was statistically significant (P = 0.001, odds ratio: 3.3, 95% confidence interval = 1.89–5.79). Anti‑HBcAb was detected in only one participant that was negative for both HBsAg and HBV DNA.

Findings of the current study show that more than half of the students do not have a protective level of anti‑HBsAb and might be susceptible to HBV infection, indicating the necessity of checking the level of anti‑HBsAb as well as a booster dose in high‑risk groups.