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Screening for hepatitis B in East Arnhem Land: a high prevalence of chronic infection despite incomplete screening
Author(s) -
Carroll E.,
Page W.,
Davis J. S.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
internal medicine journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 1444-0903
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2010.02316.x
Subject(s) - medicine , serology , hepatitis b virus , public health , seroprevalence , hepatitis b , virology , antibody , immunology , environmental health , virus , pathology
Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is common in Aboriginal Australians, but current seroprevalences in Northern Territory communities are unknown. We performed an audit of HBV serology on a convenience sample of 112 adults at an East Arnhem Land Health Service. Complete HBV serology was only available in 26 (23%) patients. Evidence of HBV exposure (core antibody‐positive) was found in 43 of 68 (63%) patients tested, and current HBV infection (surface antigen‐positive) was found in nine of 76 (12%). HBV is an incompletely defined, under‐resourced and substantial public health problem in Aboriginal Australians.