Analysis of hepatitis B surface antibody in 3022 children

Objective To investigate the positive rate of hepatitis B surface antibody(HBsAb) in children.Methods Blood samples from 3022 children who received a physical examination in outpatient departments from 2009 to 2011 were subjected to serological test using ELISA to measure the positive rate of HBsAb.Results The positive rate of HBsAb decreased with age(P0.01).There was no significant difference in the positive rate of HBsAb between boys and girls(P0.05),however the positive rate of HBsAb in boys aged one year and over was lower than in girls of the same age(P0.01).The positive rate of HBsAb in boys aged between 3 and 4 years was higher than in girls of the same age(P0.01).The positive rate of HBsAb decreased with age in boys,and was lower in those aged two years and over than in those aged one year and over(P0.01).The positive rate of HBsAb also decreased with age in girls,with significant differences between different age groups(P0.01).Conclusions The positive rate of HBsAb decreases with age in children,so younger children have a higher risk of infection with hepatitis B virus.Serological monitoring of hepatitis B needs to be enhanced.