The pattern of childhood hepatitis B infection in two Gambian villages.
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.
Whittle
H
H
Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, The Gambia, West Africa.
Inskip
H
H
Bradley
A K
AK
McLaughlan
K
K
Shenton
F
F
Lamb
W
W
Eccles
J
J
Baker
B A
BA
Hall
A J
AJ
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
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens