Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in Southern Areas of Jordan

الملخص EN

Objective : To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) among inhabitants of three villages in the southern area of Jordan.

Methods: A cross-sectional study (survey) was conducted in 1997.

A total of 752 healthy individuals were selected from the total inhabitants of three villages in the southern area of Jordan.

A total of 616 individuals were actually included in the study, with an overall response rate of about 80%.

Results: The seroprevalence of HBsAg among the study population was 2.1 % with a higher prevalence in males and in the 35-44year age group.

Conclusion: The seroprevalence of HbsAg was relatively low in the southern region of Jordan.

Further research utilizing a larger sample size in different areas of Jordan is needed to determine the distribution and risk factors of hepatitis B.