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A case–control study of risk factors for hepatitis B virus infection in North Jordan
Author(s) -
Hayajneh Wail A.,
Masaadeh Hani A.,
Hayajneh Yaseen A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.21603
Subject(s) - odds ratio , medicine , hepatitis b virus , confidence interval , transmission (telecommunications) , hepatitis b , risk factor , logistic regression , relative risk , case control study , virology , environmental health , immunology , virus , electrical engineering , engineering
Jordan is a country with intermediate endemicity for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection where risk factors for viral transmission and their relative contributions are not well known. A case–control study of 100 hepatitis B virus seropositive patients and another 100 seronegative controls was conducted. Univariate analysis and logistic regression model were performed to examine probable risk factors for acquisition of hepatitis B virus infections. Logistic‐regression analysis showed that significant risk factors for acquisition of hepatitis B virus infection were sharing toothbrushes (odds ratio = 10.167; 95% confidence interval, 1.181–87.509), unhygienic dental care (odds ratio = 2.455; 95% confidence interval, 1.294–4.658), and living abroad for at least 1 year (odds ratio = 20.018; 95% confidence interval, 2.268–176.685). The presence of these risk factors emphasizes the need for both increasing the use of hepatitis B vaccines and risk‐targeted public health education. Development and enforcement of appropriate infection control guidelines for dental care services are also necessary to curtail HBV transmission. Further research that controls for confounding factors is needed to assess the relative contribution of the identified risk factors in the Jordanian community. J. Med. Virol. 82:220–223, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.