Table 2
Summaryof Positive Serologic Tests for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg),
Antibody to Surface Antigen, and Antibody to Core Antigen Among 314 Marshallese
Number
Tested
By sex
Male
One or More
Positive Tests
HBsAg
Positive
20 (14.9)
134
123 (91.8)*
Female
180
165 (91.7)
16 ( 8.9)
Combined
314
288 (91.7)
36 (11.5)
46
175
93
43 (93.5)
158 (90.3)
87 (93.3)
3 ( 6.5)
20 (11.4)
13 (14.0)
By age (yr)
< 29
29-49
> 49
By atoll of residence **
Kwajalein
100
89 (89.0)
10 (10.0)
Majuro
74
68 (91.9)
4 ( 5.4)
Rongelap
Utirik
61
76
58 (95.1)
70 (92.1)
3 ( 8.5)
19 (25.0)
61
112
95
50 (82.0)
103 (92.0)
86 (90.5)
2 ( 3.3)
21 (18.8)
10 (10.5)
By radiation exposure group
Rongelap exposed
Utink exposed
Rongelap comparison
By atoll of residence, excluding Rongelap exposed
Ebeye
Majuro
Rongelap
Utinik
69
61
44
76
63
58
42
70
(91.3)
(95.1)
(95.5)
(92.1)
6
4
3
19
( 8.7)
( 6.6)
( 6.8)
(25.0)
* Percent of the total population tested is shown in parentheses.
** Three persons resided outside the atolls listed.
Table 3
Skin Test Responsiveness by Radiation Exposure Group*
Radiation
Category
Rongelap
Utirik
Comparison
No. in Each
Category
No.
Tested
62
38
16 (42.1%)
2 (5.3%)**
137
72
39 (54.2%)
0 (0.0%)
135
68
Tuberculin
Negative
35 (51.5%)
Candida
Negative
2 (2.9%)
* See text for definition of positive and negative tests.
** Two persons, an 83-year-old Rongelap exposed man and a 43-year-old unexposed woman, had positive
tuberculin tests despite negative reactions to Candida antigen.