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Updated: Jun 21, 2026
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA
Published on: December 15, 2023
Results from nationwide hepatitis B serosurvey in Cambodia using simple and rapid laboratory test: implications for
Sann Chan Soeung1, Manju Rani, Vu Huong
1Ministry of Health Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. sann_chansoeung@yahoo.com
Insights
Hepatitis B infection is high in Cambodia. This study found 3.5% of five-year-olds have the virus, highlighting the need for vaccination to control chronic liver disease.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Hepatology
Background:
- Chronic hepatitis B infection and liver cancer are significant health burdens in the Western Pacific region.
- Cambodia faces a disproportionate impact of these diseases relative to its population size.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide the first nationwide estimates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence in Cambodian children aged five years.
- To assess the feasibility of using rapid diagnostic tests for nationwide serosurveys to evaluate hepatitis B control programs.
Main Methods:
- Employed a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design for nationwide data collection.
- Utilized a simple and rapid test for detecting HBsAg in the target population.
Main Results:
- Estimated HBsAg seroprevalence to be 3.5% (95% CI: 2.4-4.8%) among five-year-old children in Cambodia.
- Demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid tests in conducting nationwide serosurveys, offering an alternative to standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
Conclusions:
- Interrupting perinatal transmission and implementing catch-up vaccination are crucial for hepatitis B control in Cambodia.
- Achieving a chronic infection rate below 2% in children aged five years and older is attainable with targeted interventions.
Abstract:
Chronic liver infection and cancer in the western Pacific region is disproportionate to the population globally. This study provides the first nationwide estimates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence in Cambodia among children five year of age. Using a simple and rapid test for HBsAg and multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design, we estimated HBsAg seroprevalence to be 3.5% (95% confidence interval = 2.4-4.8%) among five-year old children. Triangulating the results with other studies, we demonstrate the importance of interrupting perinatal transmission and one-time catch-up vaccination of older children born before nationwide introduction of vaccination for effective hepatitis B control in Cambodia and for reaching the disease control goal of less than 2% chronic infection rates among children > or = 5 years of age. The results demonstrate the feasibility of conducting nationwide serosurveys using simple and rapid tests to evaluate the impact of hepatitis B vaccination programs in lieu of standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
