RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: A cross-sectional community prevalence survey was conducted to investigate the sero-epidemiological features of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among children aged 1-14 years in Guangdong Province in 2013, and to provide baseline data for the evaluation of HBV disease burden and the impacts of HBV control. METHODS: A total of 2765 children aged 1-14 years from 16 villages/streets of eight cities in Guangdong Province were recruited as subjects. A blood sample was obtained from each subject. A chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) was used to detect hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAb), and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAb). RESULTS: The prevalence rates of HBsAg, HBsAb, and HBcAb among children aged 1-14 years were 1.16%, 61.63%, and 2.35%, respectively. The prevalence of HBsAg and HBcAb increased with increasing age, and the prevalence was lowest in the 1-4 years age group (0.97% for HBsAg and 1.45% for HBcAb). In contrast, the prevalence of HBsAb decreased with increasing age; however the prevalence was also highest in the 1-4 years age group (76.48%). Eastern Guangdong had the highest prevalence of HBsAg and HBcAb, and the lowest prevalence of HBsAb. The prevalence of HBsAg was under 1% in the Pearl River Delta and western Guangdong regions. Children who had received three or more doses of vaccine had a lower prevalence of HBsAg and HBcAb and a higher prevalence of HBsAb compared to those who had received fewer than three doses of vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HBsAg among children aged 1-14 years in Guangdong in 2013 was 1.2%, showing a dramatic decrease compared to the 1992 provincial-level cross-sectional survey (19.9%). Children aged 1-4 years and children from the Pearl River Delta had the lowest prevalence of HBsAg positivity. High vaccination coverage among children and timely vaccination of newborns has played an important role in reducing the prevalence of HBsAg.