Hepatitis Bs antigen, antigen subtypes and hepatitis Bs antibody in Ghana.

In a study on the prevalence of hepatitis Bs antigen and antibody in 374 Ghanaian patients, 305 of whom had hepatic diseases and sixty-nine with non-hepatic diseases, it was found that Bs antigenaemia and antibody rates were, respectively. 38.7% and 4.3% in patients with hepatic diseases. In patients with non-hepatic diseases the corresponding values were 14.5% and 10.1% respectively. It was further found that both antigenaemia and antibody rates were higher in females than in males with hepatic diseases. However, HBs antigenaemia was highest in male children aged 0-5 years with hepatic disease than in their female counterparts. The antigenaemia rate was highest among both sexes in the 11-20 year age group. No antibody was detected in both male and female patients aged 6-10 years. Hepatitis Bs antigen was detected in all seven regions of the nine in the country surveyed. On the other hand, HBs antibody was detected in patients with hepatic diseases as well as in those with non-hepatic diseases in all the seven regions surveyed except in the Eastern Region. The only subtype detected in the survey was ayw.