Hepatitis B surface antigen, e antigen and HBV DNA in healthy antenatal patients attending Goroka Hospital and their relationship to tattooing practices.

The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in women attending the antenatal clinic at Goroka Hospital was 14%. 32% of those positive for HBsAg also had hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), indicative of an infectious state. The mean HBV DNA level in HBeAg-positive women was 1800 pg/ml. These results suggest that vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus may be of importance in Papua New Guinea. Tattooing is common in this population: 91% of women in the study had tattoos. Methods employed in tattooing are a potential health risk but in a community which is now exposed to hepatitis B virus early in life tattooing practices are not important in the transmission of hepatitis B infection.