Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen carrier status among residents in the endemic area of chronic arsenicism in Taiwan.
Residents in the endemic area of blackfoot disease (BFD), a unique peripheral artery disease associated with long-term arsenic exposure, have been reported to have a significantly high mortality from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 129 BFD patients and 374 age-sex-residence-matched community controls were studied to examine their hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier status by radioimmunoassays. Residents in the endemic area had a HBsAg carrier rate (20.2%) similar to that of the general population in Taiwan. The rate was the same among BFD patients (20.9%) and matched controls (20.1%). There was no significant difference in HBsAg carrier rate among subjects who have consumed high-arsenic artesion well water for different periods of time. The rate was also similar in villages with differences in blackfoot disease prevalence, in type of wells for drinking water, as well as in arsenic content in well water. Arsenic seems to increase HCC risk of residents in this endemic area where the HBsAg carrier status is homogeneously prevalent with a rate similar to that of the general population in Taiwan.
Lu
J N
JN
Department and Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chen
C J
CJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D002353:Carrier State; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013624:Taiwan; D014881:Water Supply
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens