Hepatitis B antigen in a leprosy hospital.
A survey of hospital patients with lepromatous and with tuberculoid leprosy showed 5% of the former and 6.3% of the latter to be carriers of hepatitis B antigen. These findings contradict the hypothesis of a genetically determined predisposition; opportunity for infection appears rather to be the determining factor. It was also found that (1) the number of carriers was higher among patients staying longer in hospital; (2) titres of antigen in patients with lepromatous leprosy were higher than in those with tuberculoid leprosy or in controls; and (3) antigen titres measured twice at an interval of 4 months indicated that the carrying of hepatitis B antigen in patients with leprosy is stable and persistent.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007194:India; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens