title: Hepatitis B control in Toronto classrooms for the mentally retarded: a seroprevalence survey.
abstract: A seroepidemiologic hepatitis B survey of students and staff at schools for the mentally retarded in the City of Toronto found 2.5% of students to be carriers, 5% to be immune without being immunized, 11.3% to have immunization underway or complete, and 81.2% to be susceptible. The first two groups were older and more likely to have been born in countries with intermediate or high hepatitis B marker prevalence. Among staff tested, 4.1% were immune without immunization while all others were susceptible. Because hepatitis B control recommendations could not be made on the basis of these results alone, local Medical Officers of Health also considered other studies and practical experience to recommend the following: (1) Use Ontario Ministry of Health Guidelines for mentally retarded hepatitis B carriers in regular schools; (2) Offer hepatitis B vaccine to all susceptible students and staff in schools specifically for the mentally retarded.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Centre for Disease Control, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Erb
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: McKeown
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: McFarlane
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce