HEPATITIS-B IN THE NONRESIDENTIAL MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED POPULATION

This study describes seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis B i n seven centres caring for non-residential mentally handicapped indivi duals. Overall, 11% were hepatitis B marker seropositive and 4% had th e hepatitis B surface antigen (Hbsag). Male sex and increasing age wer e associated with seropositive status, and Down's syndrome was associa ted with the presence of HBsAg. Immediate family members of those with hepatitis B markers were screened and 22% had evidence of heptatitis B markers. Forty-one family members were identified when the mentally handicapped individual was HBsAg positive and of these 13 (32%) were s eropositive. This study demonstrates that hepatitis B is a problem for the non-residential mentally handicapped population and confirms the risk of infection to their immediate families.