prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in diabetic patients

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] was determined in 268 diabetic patients and 100 non-diabetic controls using ELISA test. Sixteen insulin dependent diabetics [9 percent] and 11 non-insulin dependent diabetics [12 percent] were found to have HBsAg in their sera compared to 8 percent of the non-diabetic controls. The prevalence of HBsAg among newly diagnosed diabetics [less than 3 months duration] was found to be relatively low [4 percent in insulin-dependent and 3 percent in non-insulin dependent diabetics]. It is unlikely that serum hepatitis plays any role in the causation of diabetes