title: Some epidemiologic studies of HBSAg in Greece.
abstract: In an epidemiologic study in 17 villages from different areas of Greece, 2898 persons were examined in order to find possible relations between HBSAg prevalence, altitude and endemic goitre morbidity. A lower prevalence with a significant difference was found in areas with a high altitude as compared with those with a low one, in endemic goitre than non-endemic areas, and in low altitude endemic than in low altitude non-endemic areas. Goitrous subjects had a lower HBSAg prevalence than non-goitrous subjects, but the difference was of borderline significance. The results can probably be explained by the presence of an environmental factor associated with altitude acting together with a host factor predisposing to endemic goitre and favouring the immunity to HBV infection.
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D005260:Female; D006043:Goiter, Endemic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006115:Greece; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens