ABSTRACT
To survey the seroprevalence of hepatit!s B virus(HBV) in relation to serologic tests for syphilis(STS), using VDRL and TPHA test, the tests were done in the seri of 1252 institutionalized persons, who lived in Taegu Hope Village for the poor or crippled, and 1831 controls, who had the regular routine physical examination from March to May, 1987. The positive rates nf HBsAg and anti-HBs were 11.7%(146) and 27.0%(338'). compared with 6.25%(ll) and 18.4%(337) in controls, respectively. The prevalence of HBV including HBsAg and anti-HBs was higher in institutionalized persons (38,7+i) than in controls(24.6%)(p<0.0001). The positive rate of STS was higher in institutionalized persons(7.5%) than in controls(2.9%)(p<0.0001). There was a tvend for a higher rate of seropositivity in women than in men of institution- alized persons in the both diseases. The prevalence of HBV among STS-positive cases wa.s 42.6%(40) of instituti- onalized persons and 26.4%(14) of controls, but not, statistically significant, the gre,ater part of them distributing in 4th and 5th decades. The positive rates of I-tBi.Ag in institutionalized persons was 45.5%(5) of STS-positive cases and 25. 9%,'35) of STS-negative cases. No correlation was found between the serologic ma kers of HBV and VDRL titration.