|
Hepatitis
B Medical Notification 01/10/03 - 31/12/03
During the fourth quarter of 2003, 59 hepatitis B medical
notifications were received. Of
these, 2 were acute clinical cases of hepatitis B infection (Table
3.3). A further 8
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 49 cases (Table
3.3).
The exposure categories identified for the acute clinical
cases were heterosexual contact (1) and unknown risk factor (1).
Of the 49
reports of antigen positivity of uncertain duration, 27 tested surface
antigen positive for the first time this quarter and the testing history
was unknown for the 22 remaining cases.
Among the 27 individuals who tested surface antigen positive for
the first time, but were not acute cases, the racial origin of 14 (52 %)
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, year.
Exposure category by sex.
| |
Year
01/01/03 - 31/12/03
|
|
Exposure category
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
|
IDU
|
3
|
-
|
3
|
|
Heterosexual contact
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
|
Overseas travel
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
|
None identified
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
|
Total
|
7
|
3
|
10
|
n.a. not
applicable
Table 3.2
Acute hepatitis
B infection, year.
Age group by sex.
|
|
Year
01/01/03 - 31/12/03
|
|
Age group (years)
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
|
10 - 19
|
3
|
-
|
3
|
|
20 - 29
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
|
30 - 39
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
|
³
50
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
|
Total
|
7
|
3
|
10
|
Table 3.3
Hepatitis B
infection, 01/10/03 - 31/12/03 and year.
Case category by sex.
|
|
4th
Quarter
01/10/03 - 31/12/03
|
Year
01/01/03 - 31/12/03
|
|
Case category
|
Male
|
Female
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
|
Acute
infection
|
-
|
2
|
7
|
3
|
10
|
|
Antigen positive -
uncertain duration
|
28
|
21
|
117
|
73
|
190
|
|
Chronic carriers -
>12 months
|
3
|
5
|
17
|
21
|
38
|
|
Total
|
31
|
28
|
141
|
97
|
238
|
Table 3.4
Individuals who
tested hepatitis B surface antigen positive
for the first time, 01/10/03 - 31/12/03 and year. Race by sex.
|
|
4th
Quarter
|
Year
|
|
|
01/10/03 - 31/12/03
|
01/01/03 - 31/12/03
|
|
Racial origin
|
Male
|
Female
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
|
Aboriginal
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
3
|
11
|
|
Asian
|
6
|
8
|
42
|
30
|
72
|
|
Caucasian
|
3
|
2
|
20
|
8
|
28
|
|
Other/unknown
|
5
|
-
|
12
|
9
|
21
|
|
Total
|
16
|
11
|
82
|
50
|
132
|
Table 3.5
Summary of
hepatitis B surface antigen tests, 01/10/03 - 31/12/03
and year.
Laboratory by sex.
|
|
4th
Quarter
01/10/03
- 31/12/03
|
Year
01/01/03
- 31/12/03
|
|
Laboratory
|
Male
|
Female
|
Unknown
|
Male
|
Female
|
Unknown
|
Total
|
|
Public
|
5026
|
7180
|
26
|
19985
|
28398
|
87
|
48470
|
|
Private
|
2471
|
4147
|
-
|
9872
|
16612
|
-
|
26484
|
|
Total
|
7497
|
11327
|
26
|
29857
|
45010
|
87
|
74954
|
|
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