title: Initial report of a hepatitis investigation in rural Belize.
abstract: In spring 1991, Belizian health officials expressed concern about a possible hepatitis outbreak in a banana farming district. A study was designed to identify cases and to address the serological prevalence of hepatitis virus markers. Three populations were studied: (i) persons meeting a clinical case definition for hepatitis; (ii) designated banana workers; and (iii) people in a random sample of households in the community. Information was collected using questionnaires and sera were collected for laboratory testing. This report presents the preliminary results of a study conducted in June 1991. Among people who met the clinical case definition, 24% of 42 tested had immunoglobulin M antibody to hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen (anti-HBc IgM). In the worker and household survey populations, 284 and 280 people, respectively, were tested for anti-HBc IgM. In each group, 4% were positive. HBV surface antigen was found in 37% of 43 clinical cases, 18% of workers, and 13% of people in the household survey. Among the 3 study populations, the prevalence of HBV core antibody (anti-HBc) ranged from 73% to 81%. Almost all tested persons had evidence of prior hepatitis A virus infection. Evidence of prior infection with hepatitis viruses A and B was widespread, but an aetiology could not be established for most of the clinical cases. However, the prevalence of hepatitis B markers in this population was very high compared to other reports from the Caribbean.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gaydos
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Krieg
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: MacArthy
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ticehurst
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jaramillo
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sjogren
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Legters
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001531:Belize / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D012423:Rural Health
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens