Objective  To investigate risk factors of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Tianjin city and to provide evidences for developing strategies on acute HBV infection prevention and control.

  Methods  We conducted a 1 : 2 matched case-control study in Tianjin city. The 322 acute HBV infection cases diagnosed from 2017 through 2019 were recruited from the Information System for Infectious Disease Surveillance. The 644 controls were gender-, age (± 3 years)-, residence (in a same community/town or village)-, and HBV vaccination history-matched healthy residents in Tianjin city. Face-to-face or telephone interview were performed to collected relevant information with a self-designed questionnaire. Paired univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to explore risk factors of acute HBV infection.

  Results  The results of paired multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed following risk factors of acute HBV infection: ever contacting closely with someone being hepatitis B surface antigen positive (odds ratio OR = 4.587, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 2.546, 8.265), ever having shave in barber′s shops (OR = 4.107, 95% CI: 1.746, 9.660), ever receiving pedicure service (OR = 3.748, 95% CI: 2.116, 6.637), with the history of accident injury (OR = 2.391, 95% CI: 1.051, 5.441), having a history of liver disease (OR = 3.027, 95% CI: 1.061, 8.638), and being divorced (OR = 5.350, 95% CI: 1.647, 17.383); the results also demonstrated that with a higher education background was a protective factor against acute HBV infection, with an OR of 0.777 (95% CI: 0.657, 0.920).

  Conclusion  Close contact with someone being HBsAg positive, having shave in barber′s shop, receiving pedicure service, having accident injury history, ever suffering from a liver disease, and being divorced are risk factors of acute hepatitis B virus infection, but with high education is a protective factor for the infection among residents in Tianjin city.