Kashiwagi S, Hayashi J, Nomura H, Kajiyama W, Ikematsu H, Shingu T, Hayashida K, Kaji M
Microbiol Immunol. 1986;30(7):675-82. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1986.tb02993.x.
A total of 1,741 asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers in two areas (Okinawa and Kyushu) in Japan were surveyed for the presence of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and the corresponding antibody (anti-HBe) to determine the age-specific prevalence of these markers and the mean age of carriers with HBeAg. Prevalence of HBeAg was significantly higher in Kyushu (36.4% of 755 carriers) than in Okinawa (20.0% of 986 carriers) (P less than 0.001). The mean age of carriers with HBeAg was 25.5 years in Kyushu and 16.1 years in Okinawa, suggesting that HBeAg converted to anti-HBe earlier in Okinawa than in Kyushu. In contrast, the prevalence of anti-HBe was significantly higher in Okinawa (74.6% of 986) than in Kyushu (56.3% of 755) (P less than 0.001). The prevalence of HBeAg decreased with age up to 40-49 years of age and then increased in both areas. Prevalence of anti-HBe was inversely related to the prevalence of HBeAg in both areas. These data suggest that HBeAg and anti-HBe are chronological markers of chronic hepatitis B virus infection and that the duration of HBeAg persistence can be different in different area, even in the same country.
对日本两个地区（冲绳和九州）的1741名无症状乙肝表面抗原（HBsAg）携带者进行了调查，以检测乙肝e抗原（HBeAg）及其相应抗体（抗-HBe）的存在情况，从而确定这些标志物的年龄特异性流行率以及携带HBeAg的携带者的平均年龄。HBeAg的流行率在九州（755名携带者中的36.4%）显著高于冲绳（986名携带者中的20.0%）（P<0.001）。九州携带HBeAg的携带者的平均年龄为25.5岁，冲绳为16.1岁，这表明HBeAg在冲绳比在九州更早地转化为抗-HBe。相反，抗-HBe的流行率在冲绳（986名中的74.6%）显著高于九州（755名中的56.3%）（P<0.001）。HBeAg的流行率在40 - 49岁之前随年龄增长而下降，之后在两个地区均有所上升。在两个地区，抗-HBe的流行率与HBeAg的流行率呈负相关。这些数据表明，HBeAg和抗-HBe是慢性乙肝病毒感染的时间性标志物，并且即使在同一个国家，不同地区HBeAg持续存在的时间也可能不同。
