Hepatitis B screening in travelers: A retrospective analysis

• Published in: Travel medicine and infectious disease 2014-11, Vol.12 (6), p.707-712
• Main Authors: Gergely, Anna, Bechet, Stephane, Goujon, Catherine, Benabdelmoumen, Ghania, Consigny, Paul-Henri
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Africa South of the Sahara - ethnology; Female; France - epidemiology; Hepatitis; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - diagnosis; Hepatitis B - epidemiology; Hepatitis B Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B Vaccines; Hepatitis B virus; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immigrant; Infections; Infectious Disease; Male; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Population; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Screening; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Seroepidemiology; Tourism; Travel; Travel medicine; Vaccination - statistics & numerical data; Vaccines; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1477-8939; 1873-0442
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2014.07.003

Summary Background Non-immune travelers are at risk of acquiring hepatitis B (HB) in high prevalence countries. Method At the Institut Pasteur Vaccination Center in a retrospective study we retrieved hepatitis B serological data from the vaccination database between 2008 and 2012. Serology (HBsAg, HBsAb and HBcAb) is proposed to travelers who have no information about their previous HB vaccination status if they travel to countries of high or intermediate prevalence of HB, for long or frequent trips. Results Of 1093 people 53.1% were men, mean age was 39.6 ± 13.0 years. Prevalence of chronic HBV infection was 5.86% (64 subjects). Their mean age was 36.2 ± 7.3 years, 65.6% were men. Seroprevalence of people of sub-Saharan African origin was 9.2%, higher than the other geographic groups. Past, resolved HB infection was found in 320 subjects, 29.3% of the population; 90.3% were of sub-Saharan African origin. A subgroup of the “Past, resolved HB infection”: 73 people (6.7% of the population) had isolated HB core antibodies. Vaccine induced immunity was found in 286 subjects (26.17% of the total population), 40% of people born in France. All three markers of HB were negative at 38.7% of our total population (423 people), and 54% of people of French origin. Conclusions HB seroprevalence was higher than in general French and European population, due to our large number of individuals with immigrant background. Pre-travel counseling allows screening and vaccination of non-immune travelers and detection of chronic HB infection cases.