Sex- and age-specific carriers of hepatitis B and C viruses in Japan estimated by the prevalence in the 3,485,648 first-time blood donors during 1995-2000.
OBJECTIVE
Carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Japan were estimated on a national basis.


METHODS
Sera from the first-time blood donors aged 16-64 years in eight jurisdictions of the Japanese Red Cross Blood Center during 1995-2000 were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV). Viremia with HCV was estimated to be present in 70% of donors with anti-HCV.


RESULTS
HBsAg was detected in 22,018 of 3,485,648 (0.63%) blood donors including 12,990 of 1,780,149 (0.73%) men and 9,028 of 1,705,499 (0.53%) women, and anti-HCV in 17,010 (0.49%) including 8,504 (0.48%) men and 8,506 (0.50%) women. Multiplying the carrier rate by the population registered in the Census 2000, the total HBV carriers aged 15-65 years were estimated at 967,753 (95% confidence interval 806,760-1,128,745), of whom 571,210 (479,267-663,152) were men and 396,543 (327,494-465,593) were women. Likewise, the total HCV carriers were estimated at 884,954 (95% confidence interval 725,082-1,044,826), of whom 464,363 (377,927-550,799) were men and 420,591 (347,156-494,027) were women.


CONCLUSIONS
Estimated numbers of HBV and HCV carriers would help plan to prevent the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan.
Tanaka
Junko
J
Department of Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
Kumagai
Junko
J
Katayama
Keiko
K
Komiya
Yutaka
Y
Mizui
Masaaki
M
Yamanaka
Retsuji
R
Suzuki
Kou
K
Miyakawa
Yuzo
Y
Yoshizawa
Hiroshi
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies