Epidemiology of hepatitis B antigen and antibody in hospital patients in Copenhagen.
A 4-year continuous screening for hepatitis B antigen (HBAg) in all patients admitted to a Copenhagen general hospital revealed 253 antigen-positive cases among 99000 patients (2.5%). 97 of the patients had acute or chronic hepatitis, while there were no signs of liver disease in 156. The "healthy" carriers showed a wavy age distribution, indicating an increased transmission of HBAg in age groups born 1920-30 and 1940-60. Hepatitis B antibody (HBAb), measured by a radioimmunoassay, occurred in 8.6% of 1000 patients. HBAb also showed an uneven age distribution with a peak prevalence of 17.5% in the age group born 1910-30. These figures indicate that the prevalence of HBAg and hence presumably also the hepatitis B virus has fluctuated within this homogeneous population, probably related to changes in the sociohygienic conditions. Determination of HBAg subtypes D and Y in 161 patients indicated that the Y-subtype is now being introduced into a formerly subtype D area by means of drug addiction, tourism or workers of East-Mediterranean origin.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000906:Antibodies; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002353:Carrier State; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012924:Social Conditions
D000906:Antibodies; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens