title: Infectiousness of HBsAg carriers in Malaysia.
abstract: HBV-DNA were analysed in 330 HBsAg-positive carriers in Malaysia by dot-blot hybridization and polymerase chain reaction. Seventy-three (22.12%) were positive for the virus. Of these, 65 (89%) were males and 8 (11%) were females. Statistically, there was no significant difference (P = 0.13). No significant decline in HBV-DNA with age in the Malay and Chinese males was observed (P = 0.2). Prevalence of HBV-DNA was higher in the Chinese carriers than in the Malay carriers for most age groups in both sexes. Sixty-one HBV-DNA-positive carriers were also positive for HBeAg. However, three individuals were positive only for anti-HBe, one was positive for both HBeAg and anti-HBe, and eight were negative for both HBeAg and anti-HBe. Fifty-seven were positive for HBeAg but negative for HBV-DNA. No relation was observed between raised alanine aminotransaminase and aspartate aminotransaminase levels and the presence of HBV-DNA (P = 0.4).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Universiti Kebangsaan Malayasia, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ton
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Yeoh
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Noriah
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thanaletchimy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001483:Base Sequence; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000635:transmission; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens