Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody in white and black patients with diabetes mellitus

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Abstract
The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody (anti-HBs) was determined in 531 white and 519 black diabetic outpatients and in appropriate white and black control populations. There was no difference between the prevalence of HBsAg or anti-HBs in the white or black diabetics and that in the white and black controls. It is unlikely that the vast majority of patients with diabetes mellitus have an increased susceptibility to infection [due to impaired cellular immunity] by the hepatitis B virus or an impaired ability to clear the virus once they are infected.