All issues > Volume 26(12); 1983

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1983;26(12):1188-1195. Published online December 31, 1983.

A Survey of HBs Antigenemia Among Healthy Primary and Middle Children, Pregnant Women in Kyungpook Province.

G H Jun¹, J J Kim¹, D H Shin¹, S D Yoon²

¹Department of Pediatrics, Keimyung University, School of Medicine Taegu, Korea
²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keimyung University, School of Medicine

Abstract

The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in various regions of the world is estimated to range from 0.1% low to 15% high. The area with high prevalence is the west pacific region. The carrier rate of hepatitis B surface antigen among 897 healthy primary and middle school children in Taegu City, Korea was investigated in November, 1982. Another sample of 729 pregnant women was investigated. 43 neonates born to HBsAg-positive mothers were tested to survey the vertical transmission of HBsAg between mother and infant from February, 1982 to May, 1982. Overall prevalence of HBsAg was 5.3% in 1626 residents composed of 897 primary and middle school childrens and 729 pregnant women. The correlation between HBsAg positivity and the socioeconomic status of samples classified into residence, family numbers per room and education level of fathers indicated little significance but the HBsAg carrier rate in the group with surgical history was significantly higher than the group without surgical history. Acupuncture showed no influence to the HBsAg carrier rate. 43 of 729 pregnant women had HBsAg in their sera but none of their neonates were carriers of HBsAg. Follow up tests in 35 infants at 3 months of age and in 32 infants at 6 months of age showed sero conversion to HBsAg positivity in one infant in each test-but it was the same infant in each case. 31 husbands of HBsAg-positive women and 20 controls whose wives were HBsAg-negative were examined. Only one in the control group was a carrier of HBsAg. This data suggests that close person to person contact transmission of HBV via sexual contact and kissing etc are the most probable transmitting modes of HBV if one has susceptibility.

Keywords :Hepatitis B surface antigen; prevelence rate; vertical transmission