Original article
English
P. N. Prasad 1, S. K. Pathak 2
1-Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Garyounis, Benghazi, S.P.L.A.J. 2-Department of Pathology, Jamahiriya Hospital, Benghazi, S.P.L.A.J.
Garyounis Medical Journal Vol. 1, No.2. July 1978:15-19
Abstract
The study was undertaken to discover the incidence of hepatitis B infection in healthy individuals and patients with various hepatic and non-hepatic disorders within a hospital population (Jamahiriya Hospital, Benghazi). Of the 2,159 consecutive healthy blood donors tested 2.59% turned out HBsAg positive. Of the 322 consecutive cases of acute hepatitis, 32.2% were antigen positive. Only 23% of the HBsAg positive acute hepatitis gave history recognizable as parent eral infection. The infrequency of parent eral mode of infection was further substantiated by our observation that diabetics and chronic asthmatics, subjected to frequent injections and venesections and so speculated of having high antigenaemiarate, in fact had HBsAg positivity of only 2.38% and 2.85% respectively. Higher antigenaemia rates were seen in hospital workers (6.38%) chronic liver disease (11.11%) and in patients in the haemodialysis unit (5.19%).
Asymptomatic infection appeared frequent as shown by anti-HBsAg positivity of 38 .09% in blood donors, 37.95% in diabetics, 42.85% in chronic asthmatics and 24.67% in those on renal dialysis. Inmost groups antibody frequency appeared to be age related.
Some recommendations aimed at reducing infections especially amongst hospital personnel are made.
Keywords: Studies on Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and Antibody in a Hospital Population
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