Hepatitis B in the Chinese community in Britain

BMJ 1996;312:507 (24 February)

Letters

Hepatitis B in the Chinese community in Britain

EDITOR,--E H Boxall commented recently¹ on the results of studiesof screening for hepatitis B virus in antenatal clinics in theNetherlands² ³ and recommended a policy of universal antenatalscreening in Britain. We are concerned about policies as theyaffect the Chinese community in Britain, a population with ahigh prevalence of carriers of hepatitis B.

Other aspects of the policy for controlling hepatitis B in Britainbesides universal antenatal screening need to be reinforced.Protection of infants born to mothers infected with hepatitisB relies on assiduous follow up of infants receiving immunisationagainst hepatitis B. We are aware of cases in which infantsof carrier mothers have not been immunised or have receivedonly incomplete courses of vaccine. Those at risk of infectionby sexual contact also need protection. We have seen cases ofacute hepatitis in partners of people of Chinese origin whoare positive for hepatitis . . . [Full text of this article]