Linked Life Data

2173432

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/2173432

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
5
pubmed:dateCreated
1990-12-24
pubmed:abstractText
Protestant missionaries (n = 360) serving in sub-Saharan Africa between 1967-1984 were studied to determine the risk of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Personnel were serologically screened for antibody to both the hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) and the surface antigen to the hepatitis B virus (anti-HBs) prior to departure, periodically during service abroad, and upon completion of their African tour. Rates of seroconversion were used as measures of the incidence of infection. Prior to service, 16% of the staff had anti-HAV and 3% had anti-HBs; post-service rates were 42% and 26%, respectively. Over 90% of the staff with greater than 20 years of service were seropositive for anti-HAV. For both viruses, the infection rate was highest during the first 1-2 years of service, when 28% of those susceptible to HAV and 11% of those susceptible to HBV became infected. Over the next decade, the median annual attack rate was 5.4% for HAV and 4.2% for HBV. Differences in the missionary HBV infection rate among the various African nations served tended to reflect differences in the magnitude of chronic HBV carriage among indigenous population groups. We conclude that missionaries to sub-Saharan Africa are at enhanced risk of both HAV and HBV infection, and that all should receive passive immunization with immune globulin and active immunization with hepatitis B vaccine.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Nov
pubmed:issn
0002-9637
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
43
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
527-33
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1990
pubmed:articleTitle
High incidence of viral hepatitis among American missionaries in Africa.
pubmed:affiliation
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't