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Hepatitis B surface antigen subtypes in Malaysia.

S Kamath
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Abstract

One hundred and ninety hepatitis B surface antigen positive (HBsAG+) sera were subtyped, belonging to : blood donors, hepatitis patients, patients and staff in a hemodialysis unit, all from Kuala Lumpur; Malaysian aborigines from three jungle locations in Peninsular Malaysia; and East Malaysians from Sarawak, East Malaysia; Three subtypes adr, adw and ayw were present in Malaysia in the following frequencies: 44%, 29%, and 27%, respectively; In Kuala Lumpur 87% had subdeterminant d and 13 per cent y, whereas in the deep jungle aborigines of Perak and Pahang, the y subdeterminant was present in 87% and the d in 13%. A similar pattern of preponderance of y prevailed in Sarawak, East Malaysia. In Kuala Lumpur the two main ethnic groups, Malays and Chinese, differed in subtype distribution, in that adr predominated in the Malays (61%), while the adw predominated in the Chinese (51%); Subtype distribution was not related to age or sex of carriers of the antigen, or to whether they had hepatitis, or asymptomatic antigenemia.

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Blood DonorsCell MembraneEpitopesEthnicityFemaleHepatitis BHepatitis B AntigensHumansImmunodiffusionMalaysiaMaleRenal DialysisJournal Article

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BibTeXRIS

S Kamath. 1975. Hepatitis B surface antigen subtypes in Malaysia.. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112147

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