|
Hepatitis B Medical Notification 01/01/06 - 31/03/06
During the first quarter of 2006, 73 hepatitis B medical
notifications were received. No
acute clinical cases of hepatitis B infection were reported; however, one
case of less than 12 months duration was notified.
No risk factor was identified for the case of less than 12 months
duration.
Seven
notifications were reports of chronic carriers of greater than twelve
months duration, who had been previously diagnosed but not notified.
Reports of hepatitis B infection of uncertain duration accounted
for 65 cases (Table 3.1).
Of
the 65 reports of antigen positivity of uncertain duration, 42 tested
surface antigen positive for the first time this quarter, two had earlier
positive tests at an unknown time and the testing history was unknown for
the remaining 21 cases.
The
majority of cases were aged 20-39 years at notification (49, 67%) (Table
3.2).
Among the 42 individuals who tested surface
antigen positive for the first time, the racial origin of 12 (29%) was
reported as Asian; of 18 with racial origin reported as ‘Other’, 12
were African (Table 3.3).
The
number of hepatitis B surface antigen tests performed by laboratories in
this quarter is shown in (Table
3.4).
Table 3.1
Hepatitis B
infection, 01/01/06 - 31/03/06.
Case category by sex.
|
Case category |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Acute Infection |
-
|
1
|
1
|
|
Antigen positivity - uncertain
duration |
37
|
28
|
65
|
|
Chronic carriers - >12 months duration |
4
|
3
|
7
|
|
Total |
41
|
32
|
73
|
Table
3.2 Acute Hepatitis B infection 01/01/06 - 31/03/06.
Age group by sex.
|
Age group (years) |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
<10
|
-
|
2
|
2
|
|
10 - 19
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
|
20 - 29
|
12
|
13
|
25
|
|
30 - 39
|
12
|
12
|
24
|
|
40 - 49
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
|
>50
|
9
|
3
|
12
|
|
Total
|
41
|
32
|
73
|
Table
3.3 Individuals who tested hepatitis B surface antigen
positive for the first time, 01/01/06 - 31/03/06.
Race by sex.
|
Racial origin |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Aboriginal
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Asian
|
4
|
8
|
12
|
|
Caucasian
|
6
|
3
|
9
|
|
Other*
|
11
|
7
|
18
|
|
Total |
23
|
19
|
42
|
*
Majority of African origin, see text.
Table
3.4
Summary of
hepatitis B surface antigen tests,
01/01/06 - 31/03/06. Laboratory by sex.
|
Laboratory |
Male |
Female |
Unknown |
Total |
|
Private |
1903
|
3465
|
-
|
5368
|
|
Public |
5688
|
8563
|
27
|
14278
|
|
Total |
7591
|
12028
|
27
|
19646
|
|
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