Change of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in Patients with Hepatitis during a Five-Year Period
| Autor: | R. Bacardi, Jose M. Martinez-Vazquez, Jaume Guardia, Pedreira Jd |
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| Rok vydání: | 1975 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Infectious Diseases. 132:597-600 |
| ISSN: | 1537-6613 0022-1899 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/infdis/132.5.597 |
| Popis: | subtyped; 66 (54%) were of the ad type and 56 (46%) of the ay type. "Cluster" cases (from a dialysis unit) were not considered. During the first period, subtype ad predominated, whereas in the second year there was a clear predominance of the ay subtype; the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.02). In yearly periods the differences were significant between the years 1970 and 1974 (P < 0.05), 1972 and 1974 (P < 0.05), and 1972 and 1973 (P < 0.05). If only patients without parenteral exposure are considered, there was clearly a shift between 1970-1972 and 1973-1974 in favor of the ay subtype (P < 0.01). Since epidemiological factors such as injections and transfusions seem not to be responsible, it is suggested that a change of virus strain may be responsible for the different distribution of subtypes of hepatitis B surface antigen in the last year. Heterogeneity of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HB, Ag) may indicate the complex constitution of the virus [1]. Striking geographical differences exist in the distribution of the two major antigenic determinants, ay and ad [2]. In the eastern Mediterranean area subtype ay seems to predominate [3, 4], but in the western Mediterranean area both subtypes are distributed similarly [5]. Epidemiological factors are considered responsible, although the evidence is not conclusive [6]. It has also been suggested that a change of subtype may occur in the future [7]. We report such a change in the subtype of acute type B hepatitis during a five-year period in the area of Barcelona, Spain. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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