Hepatitis B Virus Infection Rate of Medical School Students in Taegu

대구시내(大邱市內) 의과대학생(醫科大學生)들의 B형(型)바이러스성(性) 간염감염율(肝炎感染率)

To determine the hepatitis 8 virus infection rate of the medical school students and appropriate time for immunization with hepatitis B vaccine,355 students in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades of Medical School of Kyungpook National University who had not been vaccinated and volunteered to participate in this study were tested for HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc with radioimmunoassay method (Abbott Lab. kit). A questionnaire was administered to ask the history of transfusion, acupuncture and surgery. HBsAg positive students were retested 16 months after the initial test. Overall HBsAg positive rate was 6.8% and the age adjusted rate for male (7.2%) was higher than that for female (4.9%). Anti-HBs positive rate was 35.3% (36.1% for male, 37.9% for female) and anti-HBc positive rate was 45.5% (46.5% for male,44.7% for female). Overall hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection rate was 49.1% and the infection rate for male (50.3%) was slightly higher than that for female (46.5%). HBsAg positive rate and infection rate were increased as the grade increased but it was attributed to the age distribution of the students. HBaAg positive rate for 20 years old students was 1.7%; 21 years, 6.6%; 22 years, 6.1%; 23 years, 12.2%; and 24 years and older, 6.4%. HBV infection rate showed an increasing trend as age increased; 45.8% for 20 years,41.5% for 21 years, 49.5% for 22 years, 55.5% for 23 years and 59.6% for 24 years and older. The age differences in HBsAg positive rates and HBV infection rates did not reach the statistical significance level of 0.05. However, these findings and similar age differences in HBsAg positive rates and HBV infection rates observed in other study suggest that there is a significant age differences. Study of the same age group in other schools and different social classes is warranted to confirm the age difference. Clarification of the reason for such differences would provide a clue to identify the major route of HBV transmission in this age group. Among 26 HBsAg positive students in the initial test, only one student was active hepatitis patient. Out of 24 students who had follow-up test after 16 months 22 students were positive for HBaAg and two students became HBsAg negative and anti-HBs positive. It is obvious that nearly one-half of the medical school students were infected with HBV before 20 years of age and the HBV infection occurs in medical school. Thus, it is recommended to test all the students for HBV infection soon after the admission to the medical school and immunize all the susceptible students with hepatitis B vaccine and give booster as they start to practice at a hospital.

의대생들의 B형바이러스성 간염의 감염율을 조사하고 그 예방대책을 강구하기 위하여 경북의대 1, 2, 3학년 가운데 B형 간염 백신 예방접종을 받은 학생을 제외한 자원자 385명을 대상으로 HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc를 RIA방법으로 측정하여 B형간염 감염율을 조사하고 설문지로 수혈력, 침술력, 수술력을 조사하고 HBsAg양성인 사람은 16개월 후에 재검사하여 변화양상을 조사하였다. HBsAg양성율은 6.8%이었으며 연령에 대한 보정을 했을 때 남자가 7.2%로 여자의 4.9%보다 높았으며, anti-HBs양성율은 35.8% (남자 36.1%, 여자 37 9%), anti-HBc양성율은 45.5% (남자 46.5%, 여자 44.5%)이었다. 따라서 B형간염 감염율은 49.1%로서 역시 남자(50.3%)가 여자보다(46.5%) 높았다. 학년별 HBsAg양성율 및 HBV감염율의 차이는 연령구성의 차이에 기인된 것 이었으며 연령별 HBsAg양성율은 20세가 1.7%, 21세 6.6%, 22세 6.1%, 23세 12.2%, 24세 이상에서 6.4%로 23세에서 가장 높게 나타났다. HBV감염율은 20세에서 45.8%, 21세 41.5%, 22세 49.5%, 23세 55.4%, 24세이상에서 59.6%로 나타나 연령이 증가할수록 감염율은 증가하였다. 이와같은 연령별 차이는 통계적으로 유의한 것은 아니었으나 타 연구결과와 종합해 볼 때 연령별 차이가 있을 것으로 생각되므로 같은 연령의 다른 학교 및 다른 계층을 대상으로 조사해 보고 연령에 따른 차이가 생기는 이유를 규명한다면 이 연령층에서 B형간염의 주요전파 경로를 밝힐 수 있을 것으로 생각된다. HBsAg양성인 26명가운데 1명만이 B형간염을 않고 있는 환자로 밝혀졌고 이들은 16개월 후에 재경사한 결과 검사에 응한 24명 중 22명이 계속 HBsAg양성이고 2명은 음성으로 되고 anti-HBs가 양성으로 나타났다. 본 연구 결과로 보아 20세 이전에 약 반이 B형간염에 감염되었고 재학중에도 감염이 일어나고 있으므로 입학 즉시 감염여부를 확인하고 미감염자에 대해 예방접종을 실시하고 임상에 종사하기 시작할 때 추가접종하는 것이 이상적일 것으로 생각된다.