AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS IN OKINAWA AND KYUSHU, JAPAN

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Abstract
Kashtwagl, S. (Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu U., Fukuoka 812, Japan), J. Hayashl, H. Ikematsu, H. Nomura, T. Kusaba, T. Shingu, K. Hayashida and M. Kaji. An epidemiologic study of hepatitis B virus in Okinawa and Kyushu, Japan. Am J Epidemiol 1983;118:787–94. In 1968–1981, a total of 3222 serum samples were collected from healthy subjects in Okinawa—in ishigaki City, on Hateruma island, and on irlomote 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 ishlgaki 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.