Prevalence of hepatitis B, C, and D markers in sub-Saharan African immigrants

We determined the prevalence of hepatitis B, C, and D virus markers in a cohort of 229 (adult group, n = 187; pediatric group, n = 42) asymptomatic sub-Saharan African immigrants recently arrived to Madrid, Spain. Evidence of a recent or past hepatitis B virus infection marker was seen in 68 of 187 (36.4%) adults and in 14 of 42 (33.3%) children. The rate of chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen in the entire population was 10.9% (25 of 229). Anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies were seen in 16 of 187 (8.6%) of the adults and in 1 of 42 (2.4%) of the children. Two of the 20 adults (10%) who were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen and none of the children had anti-hepatitis D virus antibodies. We found no significant differences in the prevalence of any viral infection marker between the two groups. Ten of the 125 (8%) patients in the adult group and none of the pediatric group had serologic evidence (recent or past) of hepatitis B and C coinfection. The hepatitis markers of this group should be studied and these persons should be considered a risk group in the hepatitis B virus vaccination campaigns.