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- Title
Ethnic and Geographic Variations in the Prevalence of Hepatitis A, B and C among Aboriginal Villages in Hualien, Taiwan.
- Authors
Lin, H. H.; Li, Y. H.; Yu, J. H.; Wang, Y. W.; Lua, A. C.; Huang, L. C.; Huang, S. C.; Lee, M. L.
- Abstract
Background: Taiwan is endemic for viral hepatitis infections. A field survey was performed in the isolated aborigines in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, to investigate the geographic and ethnic variations in hepatitis epidemiology. Materials and Methods: From 1996 to 1998, blood was drawn from 1,748 subjects from two southern Ami and two northern Atayal villages for serum markers of hepatitis A, B and C. Results: Hepatitis A infection approached 100% in all groups. Hepatitis B infection and carrier rates were higher in the Atayal than in the Ami (92.3% vs 49.1% and 20.8% vs 5.3%; p < 0.01). Hepatitis C infection rates were higher in three villages (27.5%, 20.1% and 25.4% vs 3.6%; p < 0.01). Hepatitis C infection in creased with age (p < 0.01) while hepatitis B infection did not. Conclusion: Hepatitis A infected most aborigines before the age of 15 years. Hepatitis B seldom infected people after the age of 15 years, while hepatitis C continued to infect people who were older. Geographic factors are important for hepatitis C infection, whereas for hepatitis B infection, in addition ethnicity is also important.
- Subjects
TAIWAN; LIVER diseases; VIRAL hepatitis; VILLAGES; ETHNIC groups; HEALTH surveys
- Publication
Infection, 2000, Vol 28, Issue 4, p205
- ISSN
0300-8126
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s150100070036