Hepatitis B virus in Gizan, Saudi Arabia

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to study the prevalence rates for hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to surface antigen (anti-HBs), and antibody to core antigen (anti-HBc) in 724 voluntary donors, students, pregnant women and those seeking treatment for minor ailments in the Gizan area of Saudi Arabia. Tests for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and e antibody (anti-HBe) were made in HBsAg positive sera. There was serological evidence of an existing or earlier infection in 337 Saudis (46.5%), of whom 12.7% were HBsAg carriers, 25.4% were positive for anti-HBs, and 8.4% were positive only for anti-HBc. The percentage of HBsAg carriers was 19.9% and 9.3% in males and females, respectively (p less than 0.001). The evidence of existing or earlier infection in males (58.7%) was significantly higher than in females (38.7%) (p less than 0.001), with no intersex difference in anti-HBs or anti-HBc. No difference was observed in the positivity of either of the markers, alone or together, between the cord blood and the female population in the child-bearing age of 20-39 years. Corresponding to the values in other age groups, there was an overall fall in the number of HBsAg carriers during adolescence as well as in 20-39-year-old females. Among the HBsAg carriers, there was no significant difference between the two sexes for HBeAg and anti-HBe positivity. The HBsAg carrier rate of 19.9% in males is consistent with the high male dominant prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Gizan area.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)