title: Epidemiology of hepatitis B e antigen and antibody in mentally retarded HBsAg carriers.
abstract: Screening for HBeAg and anti-HBe was performed on 133 carriers of HBsAg in an institution for the mentally retarded. By radioimmunoassay, the prevalences of HBeAg and anti-HBe were determined to be 16 and 78%, respectively. HBeAg prevalence was significantly different in the following pairs of carriers: 70% in blacks, 10% in whites, and 35% in carriers with Down's syndrome, 8% in carriers without Down's syndrome. Mean age of HBeAg-positive carriers (25.7 years) was lower than HBeAg-negative carriers (29.6 years, p less than 0.05). SGPT levels were abnormal in 66% of HBeAg-positive and 25% of HBeAg-negative carriers (p less than 0.01). This suggests an association between HBeAg positivity and functional liver impairment.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase