Seroepidemiological studies on Silk Road ethnic groups.
To clarify the origin of the Japanese, the Jomom and/or Yayol, we screened for HTLV-1 and -II antibodies among inhabitants of the Silk Road, the Han, Uygur and Kazaks. We also screened for HIV, HBV, and HCV. The HTLV-I, -II, HIV, and HCV antibody tests were uniformly negative in all the studied groups. In contrast, a significantly higher incidence of HBs antigen was observed in all the groups tested (Northern Han: 11.9%, Uygur: 6.0%, Kazak: 9.1%). These results indicate that these ethnic groups are not the origin of the indigenous Japanese (the Jomon), and that HBV is prevalent in the various groups along the Silk Road.
Mizuki
N
N
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan.
Inoko
H
H
Ando
H
H
Kiyosawa
K
K
Seki
T
T
Geng
Z
Z
Geng
L
L
Li
G
G
Ishihara
M
M
Shindo
Y
Y
Onishi
H
H
Onoe
K
K
Ohno
S
S
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000276:immunology
D000956:Antigens, Viral