Hepatitis B virus infection in upper and lower Egypt

Abstract

The relative prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HBs, and anti-hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBc), as markers of hepatitis B virus infection, among 1,866 apparently healthy residents of two Egyptian provinces representing Upper and Lower Egypt populations was determined using solid–phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA). The prevalence rate of HBsAg in the Egyptian population was moderately high (10.1%); it was higher in the Upper Egypt (11.7%) than the Lower Egypt (8.0%) population and more frequent in young adults—especially those of Upper Egypt—and males than females in both populations. The prevalence of anti-HBs gradually increased with age; it was higher in the Lower Egypt (51.1%) than the Upper Egypt (41.7%) population, and it was higher in females than males. A remarkably high infection rate, as shown by the prevalence of anti-HBc, was found in both populations (88.0%), with minor variations depending on age, sex, and geographic area.