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Summary.-Average annual age-adjusted mortality rates per 100,000 from primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) among males for [1971][1972][1973]

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SUMMARYA seroepidemiological survey of a sample -roughly representative by age and sex -of 2744 persons of the Greater Athens area revealed that hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are highly endemic in Greece. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was detected in 72 (2.6 %) of them. The subtype was identified in 70 of the 72 carriers, and 69 were ay; the other was ad. Determinant w was present in all 61 that were capable of being typed further, and a23y(w) was twice as common as a1ly(w). Antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) was found in 514 (18-7 %) persons. The prevalence of the HBsAg rose rapidly with age, reaching peak values (5.3 %) at 20-29 years, while anti-HBs reached its highest value (42.1 %) in older age groups (50-59 years). The frequency of HBsAg was significantly higher in males (3.4 %) than in females (1-5 %). The percentage of infected persons who become chronic HBsAg carriers (12.3 %) was found higher than in other developed populations. It was also found higher in children (25 %) than in adults (5.5 %) and in males (14.6 %) than in females (8.1 %). These data indicate that HBV infection in early life is a major risk factor in the development of HBsAg carriers and support the hypothesis that males are more likely to become HBsAg carriers than females.

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