Factors Relating to Transmission of Viral Hepatitis in a United States Military Population Stationed in Thailand*

Abstract

To determine the incidence of clinical and inapparent hepatitis in a US military population stationed in Thailand, the authors prospectively studied a cohort of 326 men during one year. Clinical hepatitis A occurred in one man (clinical attack rate = 3.1/1000 men/year), and clinical hepatitis B was found in four men (clinical attack rate = 12.3/1000 men/year). No non-A, non-B hepatitis was identified. There was no serologically identified inapparent hepatitis A but inapparent hepatitis B occurred in 17 men. The apparent/inapparent ratio for hepatitis B was 1:4.25. Serotype analysis suggested that hepatitis B virus largely originated from Thai contacts, although 23% of cases were derived from western sources. To determine the relative contribution of 16 statistically significant (out of 67 studied) behavioral variables to the transmission of HBV, a factor analysis and a multivariate correlation analysis were employed. Factor analysis indicated that social and sexual contact with the indigenous population, including prostitutes, residence within the Thai community and marijuana use were behavioral areas that were associated with the acquisition of hepatitis B. Residence in the Thai community during the first four-month period in Thailand, sexual contact with a prostitute during the third four-month period, and ever having maintained a Thai mistress were found to be significant and independent risk factors by multiple regression analysis.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among first‐time and sporadic blood donors in Greece: 1991–1996

“…We propose that the fall in seroprevalence seen among military donors has been paralleled by, and in fact had been a result of, a fall in seroprevalence in the general population. The route of HBV infection among the donors in our study was not known; previous studies have found higher prevalences associated with risk habits during communal living, or with sexual promiscuity, especially when stationed in areas with relatively high HBsAg endemicity (Scott et al, 1981;Hyams et al, 1989). The 95% CI of difference in age between the military donor groups is 0´5±1 years and this is within the range of the military service duration (2 years).…”

A mathematical model to estimate global hepatitis B disease burden and vaccination impact

“…Acute hepatitis B: The risk of acute hepatitis B is age dependent and occurs in~1% of perinatal, 10% of early childhood, and 30% of late infections (Figure 1a). 11,[15][16][17][18] Risk of fulminant hepatitis is also age dependent and occurs in 0.1-0.6% of acute hepatitis B cases (Figure 1b). 19,20 Mortality from fulminant hepatitis B was assumed to be 70%, regardless of age.…”

“…23 Chronic HBV infection: Development of chronic HBV infection is inversely related to age and occurs in~90% of persons infected perinatally, 30% infected in early childhood, and 6% infected after 5 years of age ( Figure 1a). 4,5,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] The likelihood of progression to chronic infection did not differ among persons with symptomatic or asymptomatic infection. 4,15,24 The model assumed loss of chronic infection (i.e.…”

Hepatitis-B-Infektionen bei zytostatisch behandelten Kindern*

“…So fanden Sung und Cheng(17) HbsAntigen positive Urinbefunde bei 5 % bis 33 % der mit Hepatitis B infizierten Patienten. In Stuhl-und Aszitesproben wurde das Hbs-Antigen dagegen seltener nachgewiesen(16,22).…”