Routine laboratory reports of patients with acute hepatitis B as indicators of incidence of the disease.

The published results of a 3 year population study of acute viral hepatitis provided an opportunity to assess the completeness of routine reports of laboratory confirmed acute hepatitis B and their validity as indicators of incidence. Similar incidence rates of acute hepatitis B were found in the survey of 1972-1975 in the three London boroughs included in the survey and between 1975 and 1980 in the two regions in which these boroughs are situated. Evidence of bias in the comparison was sought but was not found.