老年人中的无症状乙型肝炎病毒感染

对2 233名居民进行乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染的血清流行病学调查,重点分析其中60~96岁的440个例。老年期HBsAg检出率渐低(5%);HBeAg几乎均转换为抗-HBe;抗-HBs和抗-HBc仍保持很高水平。一年随访无新发生的HBsAg(+)个例;在初检HBV标志物全(-)的65例中,11%出现HBV抗体;原仅有单一抗体的79例中,6%产生了另一抗体。因而,老年人似多处于HBV的低感染和动态的高免疫状态。

Asymptomatic Hepatitis B Virus Infection among the Elderly

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection usually occurs during infancy and children. To elucidate how the infection changes during the elderly life, 2233 residents were surveyed and among them 440 individuals with the age of 60-96 years were centered for analysis. The infection in the elderly was decreasing. HBsAg prevalence (5.0%) and titer (3.5 +/- 2.3) were getting lower, nearly all HBeAg seroconverted to anti-HBe, and the infection might be cleared at last. However, the HBV antibody prevalence steadily maintained, implying frequent HBV exposure and antibody responses during aging in the endemic area. Among them no fresh HBsAg were detected at one year follow-up, but antibodies developed in 10.8% of 65 individuals without HBV markers initially, and more, in 79 with single anti-HBs or anti-HBc 6.3% developed another antibody in a year. Therefore, the elderly population might be in a hypo-infection and dynamic hyperimmune status of the hepatitis B virus.