Table 2
Summaryof Positive Serologic Tests for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg),
Antibody to Surface Antigen, and Antibody to Core AntigenAmong 314 Marshallese
Number
Tested
By sex
Male
Female
Combined
By age (yr)
< 29
‘29-49
> 49
HBsAg
Positive
134
180
314
123 (91.8)*
165 (91.7)
288 (91.7)
20 (14.9)
16 ¢ 8.9)
36 (11.5)
46
175
93
43 (93.5)
158 (90.3)
87 (93.3)
3 ( 6.5)
20 (11.4)
13 (14.0)
Byatoll of residence **
Kwajalein
Majuro
Rongelap
Utirik
100
74
61
76
By radiation exposure group
Rongelap exposed
Utink exposed
Rongelap comparison
61
112
95
By atoll of residence, excluding Rongelap exposed
Ebeye
Majuro
Rongelap
Utink
One or More
Positive Tests
89
68
58
70
.
69
61
44
76
(89.0)
(91.9)
(95.1)
(92.1)
50 (82.0)
103 (92.0)
86 (90.5)
63
58
42
70
(91.3)
(95.1)
(95.5)
(92.1)
10
4
3
19
(10.0)
( 6.4)
( 8.5)
(25.0)
2 ( 3.3)
21 (18.8)
10 (10.5)
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
62
137
135
No.
Tested
38
72
68
Tuberculin
Negative
Candida
Negative
16 (42.1%)
39 (54.2%)
35 (51.5%)
2 (5.3%)**
0 (0.0%)
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.