Alcohol consumption and seroconversion from hepatitis B e antigen in the Okinawa Japanese

A total of 1,113 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers of Yaeyama District in Okinawa, Japan, were investigated in attempts to elucidate effects of alcohol consumption on seroconversion from hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). All of HBsAg carriers were tested for HBeAg. The subjects over 20 years of age were asked about their habitual intake of alcohol and were ranked into three categories: nondrinkers, light drinkers (1-59 g/day), and heavy drinkers (> or = 60 g/day). The prevalence of HBeAg decreased with advancing age and did not differ between the sexes. Logistic regression analyses of the data revealed prevalence curves of HBeAg, depending on the age of subjects. The prevalence curves tended to be higher and decrease more slowly in heavy drinkers than in the nondrinkers. Thus, the possibility that heavy alcohol drinking prolongs seroconversion from HBeAg seems worthy of further consideration.