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The prevalence of hepatitis B and C in an antenatal population of various ethnic origins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

E. Boxall ,
S. Skidmore ,
C. Evans  and
S. Nightingale
E. Boxall
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Public Health Laboratory, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham B9 5SS
S. Skidmore
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Public Health Laboratory, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham B9 5SS
C. Evans
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Public Health Laboratory, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham B9 5SS
S. Nightingale
Affiliation:
Midlands Centre for Neurosurgery and Neurology, Smethwick, West Midlands B67 7JX
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Summary

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A total of 3522 samples of serum, collected anonymously from women attending an antenatal clinic, was tested for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to hepatitis C. The prevalence of anti-HCV was low; only five confirmed positives were found (0·14%). The prevalence of hepatitis B overall was 0·56%, but was 1·04% in women from immigrant groups. Hepatitis B carriage is therefore four times more common than hepatitis C carriage in the antenatal population comprised of various ethnic origins. The patterns of infection in the two viruses are reversed, hepatitis B being more common in Asian, S.E. Asian and West Indian mothers and hepatitis C being more common in mothers of white Caucasian origin. Routine antenatal screening for anti-HCV is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 113 , Issue 3 , December 1994 , pp. 523 - 528
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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