Abstract
Risk factors for hepatitis B virus transmission were examined in 973 Gambian children aged 6 months to 5 years. 33% had evidence of infection with hepatitis B virus and a third of these were carriers. A significant association was found between infection and tropical ulcer scars, and between e antigenaemia and the presence of bedbugs in each child's bed. There was no association between infection and traditional scarring, circumcision, or injections. Skin disease and arthropods are the two most likely modes of transmission of hepatitis B virus between children in West Africa.
Publication types
-
Comparative Study
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Acute Disease
-
Adult
-
Animals
-
Bedbugs / microbiology
-
Carrier State / epidemiology
-
Carrier State / immunology
-
Carrier State / microbiology
-
Child, Preschool
-
Female
-
Gambia / epidemiology
-
Hepatitis B / epidemiology
-
Hepatitis B / immunology
-
Hepatitis B / microbiology
-
Hepatitis B / transmission*
-
Hepatitis B Antibodies / analysis
-
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / immunology
-
Hepatitis B e Antigens / immunology
-
Humans
-
Infant
-
Male
-
Risk Factors
-
Skin Diseases / complications
-
Skin Diseases / epidemiology
-
Skin Diseases / immunology
-
Skin Diseases / microbiology
-
Space-Time Clustering
-
Ticks / microbiology
Substances
-
Hepatitis B Antibodies
-
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
-
Hepatitis B e Antigens