title: Hepatitis B in the non-residential mentally handicapped population.
abstract: This study describes seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis B in seven centres caring for non-residential mentally handicapped individuals. Overall, 11% were hepatitis B marker seropositive and 4% had the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Male sex and increasing age were associated with seropositive status, and Down's syndrome was associated with the presence of HBsAg. Immediate family members of those with hepatitis B markers were screened and 22% had evidence of hepatitis B markers. Forty-one family members were identified when the mentally handicapped individual was HBsAg positive and of these 13 (32%) were seropositive. This study demonstrates that hepatitis B is a problem for the non-residential mentally handicapped population and confirms the risk of infection to their immediate families.
authors.affiliation: Eastern Health Board, Naas, Co. Kildare, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mulcahy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tyndall
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shattock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens