|
Hepatitis B Medical Notification 01/07/01 - 30/09/01
During the third quarter of 2001, 79
hepatitis B medical notifications were received. Of these, 2 were acute
clinical cases of hepatitis B infection (Tables 3.1,
3.2). A further 17
were reports of chronic carriers of greater than twelve months duration,
who had been previously diagnosed, but not notified (Table 3.3). Reports
of antigen positivity of uncertain duration accounted for 59 cases (Table
3.3). There was one report of antigen positivity of less than 12 months
duration (defined by a negative surface antigen test in the 12 months
prior to diagnosis) (Table 3.3).
Exposure categories identified for the
acute clinical cases were heterosexual contact (1) and unknown risk
factors (1) (Table 3.1).
Of the 59 reports of antigen positivity
of uncertain duration, 33 tested surface antigen positive for the first
time this quarter, two had a previous negative test and the testing
history was unknown for the remaining 24 cases. Among the 33 individuals
who tested surface antigen positive for the first time, but were not acute
cases, the racial origin of 21 (64%) was reported as Asian (Table
3.4).
The number of hepatitis B surface
antigen tests performed by laboratories for this quarter is shown in Table
3.5.
Table 3.1 Acute hepatitis B infection, 01/07/01 -
30/09/01 and year to date. Exposure category by sex.
|
Exposure category
|
3rd Quarter
01/07/01 - 30/09/01
|
Year to date
01/01/01 - 30/09/01
|
| |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
IDU |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
2 |
|
Heterosexual contact |
- |
1 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
|
Overseas travel |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
|
Social/family |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
|
None identified |
- |
1 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
|
Total |
- |
2 |
6 |
9 |
15 |
Table 3.2 Acute hepatitis B infection, 01/07/01 -
30/09/01 and year to date. Age group by sex.
|
Age group (years)
|
3rd Quarter
01/07/01 - 30/09/01
|
Year to date
01/01/01 - 30/09/01
|
| |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
10 – 19 |
- |
1 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
|
20 – 29 |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
3 |
|
30 – 39 |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
2 |
|
40 – 49 |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
|
³ 50 |
- |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
Total |
- |
2 |
6 |
9 |
15 |
Table 3.3 Hepatitis B infection, 01/07/01 - 30/09/01
and year to date.
Case category by sex.
|
Case category
|
3rd Quarter
01/07/01 - 30/09/01
|
Year to date
01/01/01 - 30/09/01
|
| |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Acute infection |
- |
2 |
6 |
9 |
15 |
|
Antigen positive - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
<12months duration |
- |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Antigen positive - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
uncertain duration |
35 |
24 |
106 |
62 |
168 |
|
Chronic carriers - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
>12 months duration |
12 |
5 |
31 |
19 |
50 |
|
Total |
47 |
32 |
145 |
91 |
230 |
Table 3.4 Individuals who tested hepatitis B surface
antigen positive for the first time, 01/07/01 - 30/09/01 and year to date.
Race by sex.
|
Racial origin |
3rd Quarter |
Year to date |
| |
01/07/01 - 30/09/01 |
01/01/01 - 30/09/01 |
| |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Aboriginal |
3 |
- |
11 |
- |
11 |
|
Asian |
11 |
10 |
38 |
27 |
65 |
|
Caucasian |
5 |
1 |
16 |
6 |
22 |
|
Other/unknown |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
|
Total |
20 |
13 |
68 |
37 |
105 |
Table 3.5 Summary of hepatitis B surface antigen
tests, 01/07/01 - 30/09/01* and year to date. Laboratory by sex.
|
Laboratory
|
3rd Quarter
01/07/01 - 30/09/01
|
Year to date
01/01/01 - 30/09/01
|
| |
Male |
Female |
Unknown |
Male |
Female |
Unknown |
Total |
|
Public |
4449 |
6301 |
44 |
13428 |
19945 |
123 |
33496 |
|
Private |
2479 |
3962 |
- |
8959 |
13530 |
- |
22489 |
|
Total |
6928 |
10263 |
44 |
22387 |
33475 |
123 |
55985 |
*incomplete data for this
quarter
|