Hepatitis B in retreat from dialysis units in United Kingdom in 1973. Public Health Laboratory Service Survey

Abstract

A prospective study of hepatitis in over two-thirds of the dialysis units in the United Kingdom has continued since 1968. After the introduction of a control and preventive programme in 1970 there was a sustained decline in the incidence of hepatitis B to the low level of 0-3% among patients and 0-1% among staff in 1973--a greater than tenfold decrease in four years. Comparisons with data from other countries suggest that the almost complete elimination of hepatitis B from dialysis units in the UK was due to the preventive programme.