title: The pattern of childhood hepatitis B infection in two Gambian villages.
abstract: Serologic markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were measured in children from Manduar and Keneba, two adjacent villages in The Gambia, in 1980 and in 1984. The rate of HBV infection over the 4 years differed markedly: in Manduar 71% of children who were less than 5 years of age in 1980 became infected, whereas in Keneba only 37% became infected. Male children were more frequent carriers of either HBs or e antigen than were female children. Marked clustering of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) antigenemia within sibling relationships was shown in both villages. The chance of the youngest child in a household being a carrier of HBsAg was strongly related to the number of antigen-positive siblings. Four years later, 53% of children who were initially positive for HBsAg and 33% who were positive for hepatitis B e antigen still carried these antigens. Jaundice was not observed.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, The Gambia, West Africa.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Whittle
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inskip
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McLaughlan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shenton
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eccles
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006529:Hepatomegaly; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D013163:Splenomegaly
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens