Hepatitis B virus and alcoholic liver damage in the Airin district. (Osaka's skid row area).
Healthy adults and non-liver disease patients in the Airin district gave a positivity rate for HBs antigen of approximately 2%, which is not so much different from the average of the entire Japanese population. In this district, the positive rate of HBs antigen 5% (11 out of 244) in chronic liver disease is much lower than that (31%) of control group patients at Osaka City University Hospital (O.C.U.H.). However the positive rate of anti-HBs antibody in this district is 46% which is extremely high compared with that (23.4%) in the rest of Japan. The positive for anti-HB antibodies (including of anti-HBs and anti-HBc antibody) accounted for 67% of non-liver disease patients and 68% of chronic liver disease patients in the Airin district. Corresponding values for patients at O.C.U.H. were 44% and 43% respectively. There were no significant differences in the histological picture between HBs antigen-negative patients with and those without demonstrable anti-HBs antibodies. Changes in the liver exhibited by heavy drinkers inhabitating the Airin district were primarily those of alcoholic liver damage.
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens