Hepatitis B Medical Notification 01/01/02 - 31/03/02
During the first quarter of 2002, 58
hepatitis B medical notifications were received. Of these, 3 were acute
clinical cases of hepatitis B infection (Tables 3.1,
3.2). A further 14 were reports of chronic
carriers of greater than twelve months duration, who had been previously
diagnosed but not notified. Reports of antigen positivity of uncertain
duration accounted for 41 cases (Table 3.3).
Of the 41 reports of antigen positivity
of uncertain duration, 30 tested surface antigen positive for the first
time this quarter and the testing history was unknown for the remaining 11
cases. Among the 30 individuals who tested surface antigen positive for
the first time, but were not acute cases, the racial origin of 16 (53%)
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, 01/01/02 - 31/03/02.
Exposure category by sex.
|
Exposure category |
Male |
Total |
|
Country of Birth |
1 |
1 |
|
Homosexual Contact |
1 |
1 |
|
None Identified |
1 |
1 |
|
Total |
3 |
3 |
Table 3.2 Acute hepatitis B
infection, 01/01/02 - 31/03/02.
Age group by sex.
|
Age group (years) |
Male |
Total |
|
<10 |
1 |
1 |
|
20 - 29 |
1 |
1 |
|
³50 |
1 |
1 |
|
Total |
3 |
3 |
Table 3.3 Hepatitis B
infection, 01/01/02 - 31/03/02.
Case category by sex.
|
Case category |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Acute Infection |
3 |
- |
3 |
|
Antigen positivity - |
|
|
|
|
uncertain duration |
22 |
19 |
41 |
|
Chronic carriers - |
|
|
|
|
>12 months duration |
7 |
7 |
14 |
|
Total |
32 |
26 |
58 |
Table 3.4 Individuals who
tested hepatitis B surface antigen
positive for the first time, 01/01/02 - 31/03/02. Race by sex.
|
Racial origin |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Aboriginal |
3 |
- |
3 |
|
Asian |
5 |
11 |
16 |
|
Caucasian |
6 |
3 |
9 |
|
Other |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Total |
15 |
15 |
30 |
Table 3.5 Summary of
hepatitis B surface antigen tests,
01/01/02 - 31/03/02. Laboratory by sex.
|
Laboratory |
Male |
Female |
Unknown |
Total |
|
Private |
2885 |
3760 |
- |
6645 |
|
Public |
4773 |
6980 |
33 |
11786 |
|
Total |
7658 |
10740 |
33 |
18431 |
|
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