Exposure to hepatitis B virus in the general population of Hisayama, Japan: significance of isolated antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen in general population.
Cross-sectional survey on the prevalence of hepatitis B serological markers was performed in 2,411 residents who accounted for 74.4% of the population aged 40 and over and living in Hisayama Town, Japan, in 1983. Overall prevalences were 40.7% for both anti-HBs and anti-HBc, 6.1% for isolated anti-HBs and 5.4% for isolated anti-HBc. The condition with isolated anti-HBs was different from those with isolated anti-HBc and both anti-HBc and anti-HBs as follows. The titer of anti-HBs in isolated anti-HBs positive samples was significantly lower than that in both anti-HBs and anti-HBc positive ones (46.2 +/- 5.4 vs. 83.2 +/- 2.8, mean +/- SE, p less than 0.001). The presence of isolated anti-HBs was neither significantly more frequent in males nor related to the risk of liver damages in contrast with that of anti-HBc with or without anti-HBs. These findings suggest that isolated anti-HBs pattern with the absence of anti-HBc in general population was not due to prior HBV infection, but due to natural immunization with HBsAg.
Kajiwara
E
E
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka.
Akagi
K
K
Ueda
K
K
Murai
K
K
Hasuo
Y
Y
Kiyohara
Y
Y
Wada
J
J
Kawano
H
H
Kato
I
I
Fujishima
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens