AN AUTOPSY SURVEY OF HEPATITIS-B IN SYDNEY

Aim: 1) To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B in Sydney autopsies and 2) to determine the relationship between seroprevalence, hepatiti s B risk factors and histological changes in the liver. Method: One hu ndred autopsy subjects were studied for evidence of past or present he patitis B infection, using RIA to detect the HBV antigens and antibodi es in the serum and peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique to detect HBsA S and HBcAg in the liver. Both serum and liver were examined for the p resence of HBV DNA. Results: Markers of hepatitis B virus infection we re detected in either serum and/or liver of 29 subjects. Four subjects (4%) were seropositive for HBsAS. Eight subjects had been recently in fected, 7 were chronically infected and 14 had recovered. Conclusion: The 29% prevalence of HBV infection is higher than expected. In four c ases the serum was either free of HBV markers or showed conventional e vidence of recovery, yet the liver still contained HBsAg. There were f ew histopathological changes despite the presence of HBsAS in the live r. The only epidemiological factors possibly predisposing to HBV infec tion were tattooing and drug abuse.