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.

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