Hepatitis B virus markers in the population of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

A total of 542 serum samples from healthy adults (medical students and medical staff, blood donors and pregnant women) residing in or near the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania were examined for markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Of these samples, 95 (17.5%) were not found to contain any HBV marker when examined by enzyme-linked immunoassay for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc). HBsAg was demonstrated in 52 (9.6%) samples of which 7 (13.5%) were positive for hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) and 17 (32.7%) were positive for anti-HBc IgM. None of 9 HBsAg positive pregnant women were carriers of HBeAg. These results show that hepatitis B infection is very common in this country. The relatively low prevalence of HBeAg among HBsAg carriers may indicate that transmission of hepatitis B at birth is not of major importance.