Viral hepatitis B, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2000-2010

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a significant public health concern.
• Understanding HBV incidence trends in specific populations, like the U.S. military, is crucial for targeted prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the incidence of acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infections in active U.S. Armed Forces members from 2000 to 2010.
• To identify demographic and occupational groups with higher HBV diagnosis rates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of incident diagnoses of acute and chronic hepatitis B.
• Calculation of crude overall incidence rates per 100,000 person-years.
• Examination of incidence rates across different demographic and occupational subgroups.

Main Results:

• From 2000 to 2010, crude incidence rates were 5.8 (acute HBV) and 9.5 (chronic HBV) per 100,000 person-years.
• Incidence rates for both acute and chronic hepatitis B significantly declined over the study period.
• Higher crude rates were observed in Asian/Pacific Islanders, females, healthcare workers, and individuals over 40 years old.

Conclusions:

• The declining incidence of hepatitis B in the U.S. military suggests successful public health interventions.
• Potential contributing factors include increased risk-avoidance behaviors, vaccination of new recruits, and a higher prevalence of childhood immunization.