Prevalence of hepatitis B viral markers in hepatitis B endemic areas of China
Luo, S.; Ye, F.S.; Mo, Z.C.; Su, Y.X.; He, J.S.; Zhou, C.Q.; Tong, M.J.; Henderson, B.E.; Yu, M.C.
Chinese Medical Journal 101(9): 654-658
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0366-6999 PMID: 2466618 Document Number: 313552
Fifty patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) and 49 controls were assayed for hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers by radioimmunoassay. The results showed that the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was positive in 43 out of 50 (86%) PHC patients and in 11 out of 49 (22.5%) controls (p < 0.001). Both anti-HBs and anti-HBc were present in six PHC patients and in 27 controls. The positive rate for at least one HBC marker was 98% (49/50) in the PHC patients. The relationship between HBsAg positivity and PHC in our young patients suggests that these individuals were infected by the HBV in their early life either by vertical transmission from the carrier mothers during the perinatal period or by close family contacts during the postnatal period. This study confirmed the strong geographic correlation between HBsAg prevalence and incidence of PHC.