Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(1):22-25 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3800

Regional and Ethnic Aspects of Viral Hepatitis B among Pregnant Women

Pavol Kristian1, Zuzana Dankulincová Veselská2, Zuzana Paraličová1, Peter Jarčuška3, Ladislav Virág1, Ivana Valková1, Ivan Schréter1
1 Department of Infectology and Travel Medicine, Medical Faculty, PJ Šafárik University, Košice, Slovak Republic
2 Health Psychology Unit, Institute of Public Health, Medical Faculty, PJ Šafárik University, Košice, Slovak Republic
3 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Faculty, PJ Šafárik University, Košice, Slovak Republic

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in districts of Eastern Slovakia with a diverse prevalence of Roma population.

Methods: Overall 59,279 serum samples from 9 regional departments of clinical microbiology from Eastern Slovakia were collected in the period from January 2008 till December 2009 and analysed.

Results: The number of HBsAg positive samples overall and during pregnancy was 1.74% and 2.12%, respectively. Comparing districts with higher (>5%) and lower (<5%) Roma population, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of HBsAg positive samples overall (1.95% vs. 1.62%). However, in the subgroup of pregnant women the prevalence of HBsAg positive samples (2.72% vs. 0.95%) differs significantly (p<0.01).

Conclusions: The prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in Eastern Slovakia did not rapidly exceed the estimated nationwide prevalence. However, in districts with higher Roma population the expected higher prevalence of HBV infection was confirmed. This indicates the need to pay special attention to the prevention of hepatitis B in these districts.

Keywords: hepatitis B, pregnancy, regional differences, ethnicity

Received: May 31, 2012; Revised: November 28, 2012; Accepted: November 28, 2012; Published: March 1, 2013  Show citation

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Kristian P, Dankulincová Veselská Z, Paraličová Z, Jarčuška P, Virág L, Valková I, Schréter I. Regional and Ethnic Aspects of Viral Hepatitis B among Pregnant Women. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2013;21(1):22-25. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a3800. PubMed PMID: 23741894.
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