PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-B SURFACE-ANTIGEN, HEPATITIS-B E-ANTIGEN AND ANTIBODY, AND ANTIGEN-SUBTYPES IN ATOMIC-BOMB SURVIVORS

On the basis of previous studies showing an association between hepati tis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity and radiation exposure in ato mic bomb (A-bomb) survivors, we investigated further the active state of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection by incorporating tests for hepati tis B e antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B e antibody (anti-HBe) and HBsA g subtypes into our biennial health examinations. Among 6548 A-bomb su rvivors for whom HBsAg was assayed between July 1979 and July 1981, 12 9 persons were HBsAg positive. HBeAg and anti-HBe were measured in 104 of these persons and subtypes of HBsAg in 98 persons. Among those exp osed to radiation (average liver dose 0.58 Sv), the odds ratio of HBsA g positivity tended to increase with radiation dose (P for trend = 0.0 24). The P values for association between the prevalence of HE e antig en and radiation dose and between the prevalence of anti-HBe and radia tion dose were 0.094 and 0.17, respectively. The HE antigen subtype ad r was predominant over other subtypes in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but the distribution of subtypes did not seem to differ in relation to radiation dose. These results suggested that A-bomb survivors remain in an active state of HBV infection and that the mechanism(s) of seroc onversion may be impaired. (C) 1995 by Radiation Research Society