An Epidemiologic Study of Hepatitis B Virus in Okinawa and Kyushu, Japan

Abstract

In 1968-1981, a total of 3222 serum samples were collected from healthy subjects in Okinawa--in Ishigaki City, on Hateruma Island, and on Iriomote Island--and in Kyushu, in Fukuoka City and Nichinan City. These serum samples were tested for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by reverse passive hemagglutination (RPHA), for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) by passive hemagglutination (PHA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA), and for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) by RIA. Overall prevalence of HBsAg (7.5%), anti-HBs by PHA (41.0%) and RIA (56.4%), and anti-HBc (65.5%) in Okinawa was significantly higher than prevalence of HBsAg (2.4%), anti-HBs by PHA (24.7%) and by RIA (28.1%), and anti-HBc (30.9%) in Kyushu. In both areas, anti-HBc was more frequently detected than anti-HBs by both methods. In Okinawa, HBsAg was significantly more prevalent in males than in females. No significant differences by sex in other hepatitis B virus markers were found. On Iriomote Island and Ishigaki City, second samples were collected after intervals of 10 and 12 years, respectively. Over these periods, the prevalence of all hepatitis B virus markers decreased significantly for the 0-9 and 10-19 year age groups. These data suggest that hepatitis B infection among children has declined in recent years and that high prevalence of hepatitis B infection in adults may reflect high rates of infection in their childhood.

Considerações metodológicas na interpretação do rastreamento sorológico da hepatite B em doadores de sangue

“…Além da observação que a duração do marcador sorológico AgHBs pode variar entre homens e mulheres, alguns autores atribuem esses achados a exposições diferenciadas entre os dois grupos. No entanto, alguns estudos populacionais não confirmam esta diferença de prevalência entre sexo 26 . No presente estudo a não detecção de diferenças na prevalência quanto ao sexo, com os marcadores estudados, talvez possa ser explicada por tratar-se de população doadora de sangue supostamente não pertencente a "grupos de risco" onde não se esperaria diferenciais de exposição ao VHB.…”

Age‐Specific Prevalence of Hepatitis B e Antigen (HBeAg) and Antibody to HBeAg (Anti‐HBe) among Asymptomatic Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) Carriers in Okinawa and Kyushu, Japan

“…In contrast, Kyushu samples were taken from outpatients and inpatients of a large hospital in Fukuoka and another Nichinan, outpatients of two private pediatric clinics in Fukuoka, and workers at a large paper mill in Nichinan City. Other findings related to HBV markers from people in Okinawa and Kyushu have already been reported (14).…”

Seroepidemiologic Study of Adult T‐Cell Leukemia Virus (ATLV) and Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Okinawa, Japan

“…We previously found that anti-HBc is more sensitive than anti-HBs for detecting hepatitis B virus infection (8). Persons who had been infected with hepatitis B virus are thought to be anti-HBc-positive persons or HBsAg carriers with anti-HBc.…”

“…However, it is significantly higher in the Okinawan population (6.7%) (8). HBV is transmitted by blood or blood product transfusion, and in family settings it is transmitted from mother to child (13,19), from father to child (20), and among siblings (9).…”