Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B virus in an urban population of northeast Brazil
Abstract
A sample of 1,288 inhabitants of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, were submitted to the determination of anti-HBs using radioimmunoassay procedure, and analysed according to age, sex and income. Overall prevalence of anti-HBs was 11,8%. ranging from 6,7% among children aged less than three years old to 26,1% among those aged 30 years and older. Males presented prevalence of anti-HBs similar to female individuals, and those with a higher income showed frequencies of anti-HBs greater than those with a lower income level. The following conclusions were drawn: The high prevalence of anti-HBs observed among children suggests early contact with hepatitis B virus, possibly due to vertical transmission and intrafamiliar dissemination of the disease; the frequency of anti-HBs increases with age; the lower prevalence of anti-HBs among those with low income suggests that this group may present higher prevalence of carriers of the hepatitis B virus surface antigen.Downloads
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Published
1986-12-01
Issue
Section
Original Articles
How to Cite
Lyra, L. G., Damasceno, A. P., Cotrim, P., Mota, E., & Silva, L. (1986). Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B virus in an urban population of northeast Brazil . Revista Do Instituto De Medicina Tropical De São Paulo, 28(6), 406-409. https://revistas.usp.br/rimtsp/article/view/101210